


7 Days

by Japanfangirl19



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020), Seven Days (2015)
Genre: All one story but each Day is the theme, F/M, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Sefikura Week, loosely based off a Shounen Ai movie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:34:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 24,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28987881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Japanfangirl19/pseuds/Japanfangirl19
Summary: The rumor going around, is the fact anyone can date Sephiroth for a week. No matter the gender or employment. Cloud just so happens to gain that chance on a Monday morning.
Relationships: Sephiroth/Cloud Strife, Zack Fair/Aerith Gainsborough
Comments: 17
Kudos: 110
Collections: Sefikura (Sephiroth/Cloud) Week - Yearly Event





	1. Day 1: Monday- Meeting in Another World

**Author's Note:**

> So first off, this is my first time doing a shipping week. I never done such a big project before! I’m so excited!
> 
> Second, this AU is something I have thought of for a while. It just so happens I gained inspiration to write it last month after I finished college. And Sefikura Week seemed around the corner so I decided to incorporate that. This is loosely based off a Shounen Ai two part movie called Seven Days. It’s sooo good I recommend watching it. I think you can find it on YT Eng Subbed. 
> 
> And lastly, I like to thanks all my friends who supported me for writing this. You’re all the best!
> 
> Now without further ado, enjoy!

Cloud Strife has been in the Shinra army for a few years now. And because of that, he knows all sorts of rumors and secrets among people in the Shinra building.

Like the fact the Science Department does crazy experiments. So if you have a shift to guard the labs then good luck, because a stray experiment can escape and attack you. Or the fact that the Turks are a hidden faction that not even the regular Shinra employees know. But if you’re in the Shinra army, you have to know about them just in case they lead your missions. Or even the 7 wonders of Shinra.

To summarize, you will know almost everything by how long you’ve been in the army.

Especially the fact that Sephiroth will date anyone for a week, then end it, and date another person for a week.

This started happening a year ago. No one knows why or how. But the rumor is that someone asked him and he just agreed. But it ended in a week and then he moved on. Many people, especially the women, talked about this. And so they experimented.

A woman or man will go up to him and ask him if they will go on a date. He would politely agree and then give his conditions.

1\. It will only last a week, nothing more.  
2\. It will end at the exact time asked  
3\. No sex  
4\. Don’t interrupt him while he is on duty  
5\. Don’t ask about his personal life

Oh and the most important thing about this is, you have to be the first person to ask him once the week of the last person he has dated ends. If you ask him after he accepts one, he will decline.

People seem to understand these conditions well. They respect him because he is the General of SOLDIER and the War Hero.

So you must be asking, “Cloud, why haven’t you asked him on a date yet? You admired him all your life? What gives?!”

Or, that was actually Zack Fair, his best friend from SOLDIER, the other day.

And he will respond with, “Because I will be an embarrassment in front of him. He is also my superior. That would be weird!”

Zack will then scoff and say, “So? I’ve seen people from the army ask him on a date. It’s not that weird. Come on your 18 now! It’s time to man up, and ask your long time crush out on a date!”

Cloud scoffs at that, “That’s easy for you to say. You already got a girlfriend. And besides, I rather have a long lasting relationship with him, not just a week. That seems too short. Also, many people are so eager to ask him out, so it’s not guaranteed for me to have that chance”

Zack hums in thought, “Yeah, a week is short. But hey, I think it’s enough time to get to know him a little. And who knows? Maybe it’ll go well!”

Cloud huffs at the memory as he walks to his morning training session. Yeah right. Cloud isn’t that impressive. He’s a country boy, a cadet, and his physique is not to army standards. Especially SOLDIER standards. Which is probably why he keeps failing his exams. And it frustrates him so much. He studied and trained as best as he could. And it isn’t enough.

He feels like that maybe he should just, give up in trying to be in SOLDIER. But he can’t. He made a promise to his mother and Tifa. He’ll become a SOLDIER, and protect them. He’ll become stronger for them and for himself.

Zack is a great motivator, and has helped train him when he isn’t on missions. They first met on a mission to Modeoheim. Both bonding about the fact they are country boys trying their best to protect the people that matter to them. Cloud looks up to him a bit, and thinks that if Zack, a boy from a small town can do it, then so can he.

That does remind him, he was supposed to meet with Zack at lunch time. They usually do if Zack or himself weren’t on a mission.

As he is walking the familiar halls of the Shinra building to the training rooms, he accidentally bumps into someone on his way. Papers and vanilla folders fall to the ground. Cloud immediately feels guilty and hurriedly goes to pick them up for the person he bumped into.

“I’m so sorry! I was too far into my head and didn’t see you! This is all my fault! I’ll pick them up!”

A deep baritone voice responds, “You don’t have to-“

“Nope, I’m doing it and that’s final!”

The man doesn’t say anything in response as Cloud quickly organizes the papers and folders in a neat stack. Satisfied, he picks them up, and goes to give the stack to him, “Here-“

He stops speaking and inhales a gasp. His heart stops and eyes widened as he quickly recognizes who he has accidentally bumped into. It’s the general and war hero in the flesh, Sephiroth.

He almost drops the paper stack then, but Sephiroth takes it from his hands and nods, “Thank you”

It took Cloud a few moments to respond without him being an embarrassment in front of the man he has admired and crushed on almost his whole life, “Ah, yeah! Of course! It was my fault after all”

Sephiroth doesn’t really show emotions on his face, but tilts his head a little and holds out something in his right hand, “Here”

Cloud looks at what he is holding, and it’s his helmet. It seemed to have come off when he bumped into him. He didn’t notice, “Oh! Thanks! I didn’t realize it came off!”

He quickly grabs his helmet from silver haired man and holds it in his hands. Sephiroth nods, “Your welcome”

And then starts to walk off. But then he remembers Zack’s words the other day. Is it time? Should he ask him out? It’s also a new week, this was his only chance! But what if someone asked him already? He would be so embarrassed but...

It’s now or never! Zack would say. Cloud takes a deep breath and turns his attention to Sephiroth’s direction.

“Um, wait!”

Sephiroth stops walking and turns around raising an eyebrow at him. Oh geez is he judging him already? Don’t panic! Focus Cloud!

“I want to ask, has anyone asked you out yet? I mean on a date?”

Sephiroth immediately understands what he is asking and keeps his face non-readable. “No, not yet”

“Then...”

Cloud takes a deep breath, “Can I be the first to ask?”

It’s silent for a few moments as they stare at each other. Cloud slowly starts to panic, “Of course if you want to! You don’t have to! It’s totally up to you if you-“

“Yes”

“Huh?”

Cloud stops speaking midway through his panicked talk and looks to Sephiroth confused.

“Yes, I would like to date you”

Cloud blinks three times in a fast session before he could respond, “O-Oh! Cool! So uh, would you like to exchange numbers?”

Sephiroth nods and he walks to Cloud and holds his hand out for Cloud’s PHS. He quickly pulls it out of his pocket and hands it to him. Sephiroth inputs his number and sends a message to his own PHS.

“There, I’m sure you know the conditions. But if you need a recap, then I’ll text them to you. Now as you know, I’m busy on Mondays, so we can’t do anything today. But I’m available until the time you have asked me, understood?”

Cloud nods. Seeing that, the general turns around, “Good, then I won’t keep you. See you”

And he starts walking to his office. Cloud stood in the hallway holding his PHS in shock.

Did that really just happen? Did he ask, the Sephiroth on a date?

Yes he did. At exactly 0707 hours, Monday morning, he asked Sephiroth on a date.

——-

“You did what?!”

Cloud quickly shushed Zack in the cafeteria as they were getting strange and curious looks at Zack’s loud voice.

Zack then sat back down quickly and scratched his head in embarrassment, “Whoops sorry”

But then he perked up and started talking to Cloud in a lower volume, “You really did it?! You asked him out?!”

Cloud face flushes a little red in embarrassment and nods, “Yeah, I did”

Zack grins, “Congrats man! I knew you could do it!”

“I honestly didn’t think I could”

“Well now that you have, what do you plan to do?”

“Ummm”

“Wait, you’re telling me that you didn’t plan for this?”

“Well, it was on a spur of the moment. I didn’t think you know?”

Zack sighs and shakes his head, “Well at least you got his number to text each other”

“Yeah problem is, I don’t know what to say”

“What do you mean?”

“Like, what if I say something embarrassing?”

“Well you already asked him out so, no big deal! Just ask to hang out when he has free time”

“I don’t want to accidentally text him during a meeting or a mission! What if that distracts him and gets him in trouble?!”

“Cloud, my buddy, you’re over thinking this. I’m sure it’ll be fine. Besides, he always silents his phone during a meeting and puts it on vibrate on missions. Don’t worry your spiky head about it”

Cloud takes a deep breath to calm down. Zack’s right, he shouldn’t over think this. He’s still nervous about this. He wants to make an impression. A good one at least, not a bad one.

But what can you do on a date with Sephiroth? Something overly romantic? No, he didn’t seem the type to be into that stuff. Maybe go somewhere private? He seems the type to like a quiet environment. Or, he could ask Zack since he has worked with him, in turn his mentor Angeal, who is Sephiroth’s friend.

It might be better to ask, he barely knows anything about him. And that’s besides the email updates from the Silver Elite, in which Zack was able to get him to join because he thought it was funny. But anyways, this was his best bet. He can’t just assume things about Sephiroth. He knows that behind that tough exterior, he has a softness to him. Don’t ask how he knows, he just does.

“Zack, can you tell me about Sephiroth? As a person I mean?”

“Huh? Why?”

“I just, I feel like I’ll be able to understand what to do when I ask him”

Zack smiles, “Of course! So what do you want to know?”

————-

Sephiroth sighs as he sits at his desk with stacks of paper he needs to read through and fill out. Why is he the general again? Oh because he was forced the role by President Shinra himself.

He rather not do all this paper work. But that is unfortunately what he has to deal with. He would concentrate better if he had his morning coffee, but then he bumped into that spiky blonde cadet. That’s when he got another date.

How many people has he “dated”? He never kept count. Everything was such a blur. It started a year ago when he was not having a good day. When a woman nervously walked up to him and asked him out.

Usually he would politely refuse, he never has time for relationships like that. But for some reason, he decided to say “Fuck it”, and said yes.

The woman was ecstatic, and they exchanged numbers to message each other. But it didn’t last long. Because of his work schedule, he never really saw her. Only seen her once or twice after she asked him. So after 7 days, she broke up with him and they deleted each other’s numbers from their PHS’s.

That’s when the rumors spread. And that’s when the media decided to make it something big.

“Ask the Great General Sephiroth out for a week and get a one in a lifetime experience!”

Sephiroth was not happy about this. Angeal just sighed when he saw the headline and Genesis laughed at his despair. He wanted to demand it to stop, but the President decided that it was good publicity. Brings Shinra in a better light.

Sephiroth internally cursed at him. Yeah right. They just want him to suffer.

But he has to admit, not all dates weren’t bad. Well, because he doesn’t remember most of them, not even their names. He did have the ones that are too obsessed with him, to the point that they try to “make a move” on him. That’s when he made the guidelines for dating him. So none of that stuff would happen again.

Of course if any are broken, he will immediately end the date. He will not stand for any of that.

And now, his current date for the week happened to be on a spur of a moment event this morning. He has to admit, he wasn’t paying attention as well. He did not sleep well last night, so he was partially at fault for bumping into the blonde cadet.

He was going to pick up his papers from the ground, but the cadet insisted. He was pretty forward. But he saw that when he realized who he was, he almost panicked. But he kept his ground though. Sephiroth can applaud him for that. He didn’t even immediately run away from him either once he took the papers back. He noticed the helmet on the floor and gave it back to the cadet. He thanked him and went quiet.

Sephiroth assumed that was the end of the conversation and started to walk to his office. But then he was stopped by the blonde and asked him for a date. Very politely. Not flirtatious, not too nervous, very polite. He even gave him a way out, if Sephiroth didn’t want to date him. None of his dates gave him that option. They asked, and he agreed. There and done. Just like that. But this blonde cadet...

Now he can’t stop thinking about him. And why can’t he? He never put much thought into the people he dated. But he would like to see him again. He hopes he messages him.

And that sounds ridiculous now he thinks about it. What is wrong with him?

That’s when Angeal and Genesis decided to enter his office in the afternoon. Or rather Genesis opening the door dramatically and Angeal just shakes his head at his friend’s antics as he follows him in.

“Ugh! Why do I have to work with those 3rds?! They are so annoying!” Genesis says as he drops himself on the couch against his office wall on the left side of his vision.

Angeal shakes his head as he sits down on a chair facing the couch, “Because they need guidance from us higher ups”

“Then you deal with them Angeal! I rather work with 2nds than 3rds! Always so stuck up and obnoxious, not mature enough because they are in ‘SOLIDER’”

“Well then next mission, just request for 2nds then”

Genesis snorts, “Yeah if they let me. I doubt it”

Angeal sighs and then faces Sephiroth, “So, how has your day been?”

“What do you think?” He says as he takes in another stack of papers to look and sign through.

“Right, what I should ask is, have you taken a break at all?”

“You know I barely take breaks”

“Which is clearly unhealthy. Have you eaten at all today?”

Sephiroth recalls only having a granola bar in the morning for sustenance. He took mental breaks for a few minutes, thinking about the blonde cadet. Which is not what he usually does.

Genesis shakes his head, “Clearly he has not. Oh Sephiroth, when will you ever learn to take breaks?”

“Once they stop giving me paperwork” Sephiroth plainly responses.

Angeal chuckles and shakes his head, “Well we are done with our own. We should help you so that you can finally have a break and eat”

Genesis groans, “Do we have to?”

“Yes because we help our friends when they are in a pinch. That’s honor”

“Is that true or did you make that up?”

“Just help out Genesis”

Genesis huffs and walks over with Angeal to take a stack of paper and start working on it in their previous places with the low table between them.

Sephiroth was going to protest, but he was too tired to. Besides, he knows that they won’t accept no as an answer. As they go through the papers, being near to done, Genesis breaks the silence of the room.

“Okay let’s get the Behemoth out of the room” as he slams the last paper down upon the stack he finished. He turns to Sephiroth and smirks, “Who has asked you out this time?”

Angeal narrows his eyes at Genesis, “Really?”

“Whaaaat, I have to ask!”

Sephiroth knew this was coming. They come in every Monday to ask. Well Angeal is less subtle about it, Genesis is always more upfront about it. He thinks that it’s because they are curious and like to tease him about it. But they honestly do care for him. They are just concerned for him. Both try to get him through the week of the new date. Especially if the date is annoying, they try to make it up to him by hanging out in their apartments and having their usual spar’s in the VR rooms.

“So? Who is it this time? A fan girl? A SOLIDER? Did Scarlet finally make her move?”

Sephiroth’s face twists in disgust, “Gaia no. I would never let her near me”

Genesis laughs, “Then who?”

Sephiroth sighs, “It was a cadet”

Genesis raises an eyebrow, “A cadet?”

Angeal was surprised too, “Really? They are usually afraid to approach you about anything”

“Well, that’s what happened”

Genesis perked up in curiosity, “How did it happen?”

“I was walking, and it seems we both weren’t paying attention, so we bumped into each other. I dropped my papers and the cadet apologized and insisted on picking them up for me”

“Really? Then?”

“I don’t think he realized he bumped into me. Because when he saw me he was surprised. So I grabbed the papers and I handed him his helmet that came off when he bumped into me. I began to walk off when he yelled out and asked me if I anyone had asked me for a date this week. I said no and he asked if he can be my date for the week”

“Oh? Nice, so you exchanged numbers right?”

“Naturally”

“And his name?”

Sephiroth was silent at this. He knew he forgot something.

Genesis gasps, “You didn’t ask?!”

“Well, I was in a hurry and he was too, so I never asked”

Genesis shakes his head, “Honesty! Well at least you have his number. Next time, ask him his name, geez!”

“Right, I will”

Angeal and Genesis look at him weirdly when he said this. Sephiroth looked at them and said, “What?”

Angeal coughs, “Well, it’s just-“

“You never agree with us on that! You usually say that it doesn’t matter since it’s only a week. What changed?”

“Well, I...”

“Oh wait! Don’t tell me! You are actually interested in this cadet?!”

Sephiroth turned away from them in response. Genesis smirks, “Oh you are! He must have really left an impression on you huh?”

Before Sephiroth could respond, he received a message from his PHS. Looking for a distraction, so that he won’t admit anything about the blonde cadet, he looked at the message. He was hoping it was something from the directors or even Hojo, but no, it was the man of the hour.

????

_Are you available tomorrow afternoon? If not then that’s fine! I understand you are a busy person_

Sephiroth was taken aback by this man again. Not only did he ask, but gave him a choice whether he would like to or not. His dates tend to message him and demand he be available and never ask if he has anything else to do. But this blonde cadet...

He then thinks about what he is doing tomorrow. He had a mission in the morning, and some office work. He was planning to do his usual VR spars with Genesis and Angeal just to avoid the dates. But maybe, for the first time...

Sephiroth

_Yes I will be available. What time and where would you like to meet?_

????

_Oh! Well, how about 1700 hours at the front entrance of the Shinra building? You can wear anything you like that’s comfortable_

Sephiroth

_That’s alright with me. I’ll wear something causal._

????

_Ok! See you then! Have a good rest of your afternoon! :)_

Sephiroth sets the PHS down on his desk and lets out a breath. He did it. He can’t believe it. He’s going on a proper date with this blonde cadet. Maybe he’ll actually enjoy it? He hopes so.

And why would he hope so? What is this feeling? He can’t tell. He decided not to dwell on it.

It’s just going to be a normal hangout. Nothing to worry about.

“So was that him?” Genesis asks with a smirk on his face.

“Who?”

“The mysterious cadet! I’m right aren’t I?”

Sephiroth sets down the last paper in his stack and stands up, “Let’s go eat”

And he starts walking out of his office with Angeal and Genesis following, “Wait! You didn’t answer the question! Hey!”


	2. Day 2: Tuesday-New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud and Sephiroth go out on their first date together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh yeah we here! It starts to pick up a little from here. So I hope you enjoy this fluffy chapter!
> 
> I also want to thank y’all for reading my fic! I really appreciate it! 
> 
> Now onwards!

Cloud throughout the day, was freaking out. He is both excited and anxious about his soon to be outing with Sephiroth today. The captain and his fellow cadets noticed during the mission today. He was yelled at a few times for not paying attention. 

After the mission, the captain asked if he was alright. In the most polite way.

“You never usually act like this on a mission, what gives?!”

‘Oh you know, I’m going out with the almighty General Sephiroth, no big deal!’

Yeah he couldn’t admit that. 

“Oh well, I’m just not feeling well”

“Really? If that’s the case you should have called off sick”

“It wasn’t too bad this morning! So I thought it’ll be fine”

The captain sighed, “It’s fine. Just remember for next time, alright?”

Cloud nodded and they separated. He went back to his dorm to get ready. Of course he has a few cadets living with him. Luckily they are out on missions or whatnot, because Zack decided to come over.

“Heya Spike! Ready for the big date?!”

“Zack!” He pushed Zack into the dorm and closed the door so no one would hear.

“What?”

“You can’t just shout that out loud! I don’t want that much attention!”

“They are gonna find out sooner or later. It’s no big deal”

“I know, but-!”

“Anyways, you’re looking good!”

Cloud looked at himself. He changed out of his cadet uniform into more causal wear. White t-shirt with a black leather jacket over it and jeans with black sneakers. He is also wearing a Nibel wolf earring on his right earlobe. 

He scratched his head at Zack’s compliment, “You think so? It’s not much...”

“I know so! Not too over the top, just you!”

Zack looked at his PHS and widened his eyes, “Oh it’s 1630 hours! You should get going!”

Alarmed, Cloud immediately grabbed his PHS and wallet and put them in his pockets. As he ran out of the dorm, he yelled back, “See ya later, Zack!”

Zack grinned and yelled back, “Good luck!”

Cloud sprinted to the front of the Shinra building and breathed a sigh of relief when he got there in time. 1650 hours, with 10 minutes to spare. As he was waiting, he decided to scroll through the media on his PHS, to distract himself from the nerves. Then he heard someone walk up to him. He turned around and his breath stopped for a moment.

Sephiroth, and he looked, really nice. He was wearing a black long sleeve turtleneck with black dress pants and black shoes. He also had his hair up in a ponytail. 

Cloud’s face definitely started to turn red. Sephiroth tilted his head, his front bangs going along with it, “Are you alright?”

Cloud realized he was just standing there staring at Sephiroth for a long while and he felt embarrassed. Get it together Strife!

“Y-yeah! I’m fine! So are you ready?”

Sephiroth nodded, “Yes”

“Alright then, let’s go to Sector 8”

“Lead the way”

Cloud nods and they start walking there. They never struck a conversation with each other on the way there. Cloud just doesn’t know what to say. But he notices that Sephiroth looks a bit irritated. He’s wondering if anything happened to him today. Or did he not want to go out with him? But he came all the way out there to meet him. He would have messaged him if that’s the case.

He decided to stay silent. As they arrived, it wasn’t too crowded. Since it was a Tuesday and it’s 1730 hours, too early for many people to be out and about.

“So, where are we going?”

Cloud turned to answer Sephiroth, “Oh! Well, I was thinking we could go to either the movies or see a play”

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at this, “You, didn’t plan this outing?”

“Of course I did! I just, I don’t want to drag you to stuff you don’t feel like doing”

“You’re, you’re letting me choose?”

“Yeah, I want you to enjoy this date as well. So, which one do you want to do?”

Sephiroth took a few moments to think. Cloud saw that he was surprised that he is letting him choose. Was he never given a choice?

Then Sephiroth answered, “A movie. I would like to see one”

Cloud smiles and nods, “Okay. Then let’s go”

Cloud leads the way.

————-

Sephiroth didn’t have a good day so far. 

First of all, the mission was a mess. He went to defeat a few monsters with a few 3rd SOLDIERS, and they were so incompetent that he had to take care of most of them himself. Now he feels Genesis’s pain. Then as he came back from the mission, he was dumped with more paperwork. He was never given a chance to shower and it irritated him. 

He almost forgot about the date with the blonde cadet until Genesis and Angeal came in and told him it was 1530 hours.

Sephiroth immediately dropped his papers on his desk in panic and hurried to his apartment to get ready. There was no way he was going on this outing without looking and smelling decent.

As he showers he thinks, ‘Why am I so hung up about this?’

He has never done so before. But why for this particular cadet...

As he was getting dressed, Genesis burst into his apartment, (he never figured out how he manages to break in), and claimed that he will help him dress for his date.

Sephiroth knew to not argue against him and let him do as he pleases. And he has to admit, his outfit wasn’t too bad. He had to hand it to Genesis, he knows fashion. As Genesis looked him over, he then suggested to put his hair up in a ponytail. Sephiroth raised a brow at that, he never put his hair up in public. It was always down. Genesis said it will impress his date. Sephiroth then sighed and agreed. He realized it was 1630 hours. He said a side goodbye to Genesis while Genesis yelled on his way out, “Use a condom!” 

Sephiroth was about to turn around and wack him but he had no time to. Later then...

Anyways, he was able to get to the meeting place on time and that’s when he saw him standing there looking at his PHS. The cadet got there early, earlier than him. Which was impressive since his previous dates most of the time show up late. Upon closer inspection as he walked up to him, he looked, really nice. He would never say or think that with many people. But this man, why does he give off this certain feeling towards him?

The blonde looks to his direction, must’ve heard him approaching, and his eyes widened upon seeing him. Why was he shocked? He did ask him to come. 

That’s when he asked him if he was alright. The blonde stuttered and said he was fine and lead them to Sector 8. Of course that’s the entertainment district. He remembers when Genesis would drag him and Angeal to see Loveless more than once. At this point, he remembers the whole thing, if Genesis reciting it every now and then didn’t before.

They finally come to a stop in front of the fountain and that’s when he asked where they were going. That’s when the blonde gave him two choices. Which surprised him. He never was given any choices on where to go on outings. He will just be dragged to wherever his date of the week wanted. Never was he given options on what he wanted. And why, why was this blonde cadet so different than the others?

He realized that he needed to make a choice soon, he is waiting for an answer. The play, he can imagine it being Loveless, so he wasn’t keen on seeing that. A movie, is different. He never watched much movies, or TV at all. He might as well try.

When he spoken his choice out loud, the blonde smiles and nods, and leads the way.

The movie theater as they walk up to it, was pretty big. Though it only housed three different rooms, it’s still impressive. 

“Two tickets please” the blonde asks.

The ticket distributor looked bored until he saw who was getting the tickets. His eyes widened when he saw him. He’s used to it by this point.

“S-sure” he prints out the tickets and hands them to the blonde cadet. 

“Thank you” 

The man nods and Sephiroth follows after the blonde inside. There he sees a counter with a few registers. Popcorn and snacks being displayed behind the workers. 

“Do you want anything? Popcorn, candy, a drink?”

Sephiroth never ate any of these snacks. They were unhealthy for him, Hojo had said. He needed to be healthy to be a strong and healthy specimen. 

Sephiroth scoffed at that thought. He decided to abandon that method ever since Genesis and Angeal came into his life. They said that he can indulge into anything he wants to, Hojo can’t control his life forever. 

So he started to eat anything he wanted. Especially junk food, it annoyed Hojo so much that he gave up on trying to stop him. He felt so smug when he succeeded to annoy Hojo. 

Popcorn and candy, he never had it before. So he might just try it now with this nice blonde cadet that he is dating. Now that he thinks about it, he never asked his name did he?

“This might be rude of me to ask now, since I have never asked. But, what is your name?”

————

Cloud was caught off guard from this. The date was going pretty well. Sephiroth seemed to be enjoying himself after he chose he wanted to go to the movies. And after he asked if he wanted anything to eat, Sephiroth just asked for his name in response.

Now that he thought about it, he never introduced himself to Sephiroth. His face started to turn red in embarrassment. Oh Gaia, he can’t believe he forgot to do something so simple! What would Zack think?! And his mom as well?! 

‘It’s proper etiquette to introduce yourself after you first formly meet them! I can’t believe you forgot to do such a thing!’

Cloud shook his head from his mom’s lecturing voice and focused on the present. And now that he is staring at Sephiroth with wide eyes, he just couldn’t help but laugh. 

Sephiroth was confused at his outburst, but once Cloud calmed himself down, he answered.

“It’s Cloud, Cloud Strife”

“Cloud...” Sephiroth hummed, “I like that name”

Cloud’s heart stopped for a second before he can respond back, “T-thanks. Um, do you still want any snacks?”

Sephiroth looks back at him and nods, “Yes, I would like some”

So Cloud quickly went over to the counter to get the food to get away from Sephiroth for a bit. His nice compliment about his name really caught him off guard. He needs to calm down his racing heart by getting snacks, before he goes back to him.

Once he pays and grabs the food, he walks over to Sephiroth and directs him to the movie screening. 

Once inside, there wasn’t many people, thankfully. They found a spot in the middle of the seats and sat down next to each other. Cloud is trying not to think about the fact the man he has been crushing on for years is finally sitting next to him. Not at all.

He gave the popcorn to him to hold. Then he took one of the chocolate bars he bought, and handed it to him.

“Here! Chocolate paired with popcorn is the best!”

Sephiroth raised a brow at that curiously. He took the bar and he took a piece of popcorn, and gently put it in his mouth.

“It’s soft, yet crunchy. Also it has a lot of butter and salt”

Cloud tilted his head confused. Then Sephiroth opened the chocolate bar and broke a piece from it and put it in his mouth.

“It’s sweet, but melts into your mouth. It does pair well with the popcorn that is buttery and salty”

Cloud blinks, twice, “Have you never had Popcorn and chocolate before?”

Sephiroth turns to him and clears his throat, as if he’s, embarrassed?

“I never tried much of junk food. Since I have to keep a diet. But I eat some every now and then. I never tried these yet. So, yes”

It was silent between them, for a few moments. And Sephiroth then looked away from Cloud. As if he couldn’t take the embarrassment.

“Sorry”

Cloud was startled by this, “Why are you apologizing?”

“Well, I should know these things, but I don’t”

That’s it? Cloud smiles, “It’s okay. I’m sure you aren’t the only one. Besides, I’m sure I haven’t tried some food from other places either. It’s part of the human experience”

Sephiroth turned back to look at him, eyes widened in shock.

“You, don’t mind?”

“Of course not! I’m just glad you like the popcorn and chocolate. It seems you’re having fun!”

Sephiroth blinks and then smiles a bit. Oh, that smile looks beautiful on him. Because it’s not those smiles he puts on just for the media or to be polite. It’s a genuine one. 

Cloud was about to say something but then the lights dimmed and the movie started to play. So they both turn their attention to it. 

He tried to invest himself in the movie he really did, but it was hard because he can’t stop thinking about the conversation they just had.

Sephiroth, was something different all together once you get to know him. He is starting to see what Zack was talking about. When he said that Sephiroth was actually a nice person with a tough exterior. 

And Cloud has to admit after looking over at Sephiroth as he focused on the film with his hand on his chin.

Yeah he can see it now. 

——-

After the film, Sephiroth couldn’t help talking about it to the blonde cadet. Well now Cloud Strife.

He’s so glad he finally knows his name now. And this will be the first time he will actually remember his date’s name. It’s so unique yet beautiful. As they walk, Cloud keeps a smile on his face until they reach the fountain of Sector 8.

“I personally think the story has potential, but the part where the main protagonist has to sacrifice himself for his love is unnecessary. He could have been able to defeat the antagonist if he worked together with his friends to save her, that was holding her hostage and then defeat the antagonist”

“Well, the point of the film was for the dramatic effect. It wanted you to feel the weight of the decision. And he wanted to protect his friends as well”

“But then they would be left behind because of a so called ‘noble sacrifice’. He clearly wasn’t thinking about other options”

“Sometimes in situations like that, people don’t tend to think. Especially if the ones you care for are about to get hurt”

“That is still no excuse, also the special effects were mediocre. They could do better”

Cloud laughs and Sephiroth turns to Cloud confused, “What’s so funny?”

“I never heard anyone complain about a movie like this!” 

Sephiroth couldn’t help to ask, “Is that okay?”

Cloud nods smiling, “Yeah! Totally okay!”

And there was that warmth he felt. That warmth in his stomach, when Cloud told him that it was fine to have first experiences with food he never tried. 

Why does he make him feel this way? What is this?

“I was thinking, do you want to grab dinner if you’re up to it?”

There again with the way out. He should say no but,

“Yes, I would like to. What do you have in mind?”

Cloud’s face brightens up, “I was thinking either Wutai cuisine or Northern cuisine. Which do you prefer?”

And there again with the choices. He still doesn’t understand. But at this point, he shouldn’t question it. Cloud is the only date who has treated him causally and selflessly. He wants to keep this warm feeling with him. He doesn’t want it to go.

“Northern cuisine”

“Okay, let’s go!”

Why doesn’t he want it to go?

———

Cloud can safely say, that was the most successful date he had ever had. Considering that it was his first one ever. When they ate dinner together, they talked causally. Like they knew each other for a long time. And it certainly feels like it. 

Once they stopped eating and walked back to the Shinra Building, they stood in front of each other and awkwardly looked at one another. But it was more like they didn’t want to admit that the night together was ending. And Cloud was the first to speak up,

“I’ll text you and see you tomorrow. Is that okay?”

Sephiroth smiled, that same smile from earlier, and said that he would like to.

And then they parted from each other with a goodnight. 

Cloud couldn’t stop smiling. He made so much progress with Sephiroth in one night.They seem to be friends now. Which is great! Cloud would like to go further, but he can’t complain. If by the end of this week they are just friends, then he’ll take it. 

His PHS vibrated and Cloud jumped at the text. He looked to see who it’s from. What he sees surprises him.

Sephiroth

_ I had a good time tonight. Thank you. _

Cloud smiles at this text. Sephiroth texted him first. 

Cloud

_ I’m glad! I hope to see you tomorrow! You must get some rest ok? _

Sephiroth

_ Okay. Goodnight, Cloud. _

Cloud

_ Goodnight, Sephiroth  _


	3. Day 3: Wednesday-Puppet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sephiroth is not having a good day. Cloud suggests hanging out together. But not the way he thought it would go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh yes, Day 3. It might be not what you think it is, but there is a reason *side eyes emoji*. 
> 
> Anyways I want to warn you guys that for the next 3 days, I will upload these late. Because of job training. So expect these in the late afternoon/evening. Sorry for the inconvenience. 
> 
> But now onwards!

Sephiroth stormed out of Hojo’s Laboratory angrily. He had never felt like this before when he left the labs. But the day didn’t start out well much like yesterday. 

First, he was forced on a mission he was never assigned, because the 1st class SOLIDER, who was signed up for it, was sick. Then when he came back, he was dumped with paperwork, in which he blames Heidegger. Because the man can’t be bothered with it, so he throws it down on his desk. 

And Hojo decided to call him down to a surprise check up because he feels something different is happening or whatever. Once Hojo was done with his poking and prodding on his body, he had the audacity to say that he should have him stay, because he needed a guinea pig to fight an experiment. Sephiroth was this close to snapping. He took down some beast quickly just to get it over with. And Hojo says, “That was taken down much faster than before! Let’s have you-“

He didn’t even let him finish, he snapped. He forced his way out of the testing room and left the labs. He heard Hojo angrily yell at him to come back, but he ignored him. He was so tired of everyone pushing him around from one place to the other like a puppet.

He needs to let out some steam. Maybe the training rooms will have to do. He usually would call Angeal and Genesis, but they are clearly busy and he has no time to. As he was walking, he felt his coat pocket vibrate. He growls as he takes his PHS out. He swears, if it’s Hojo he will skewer the man. He doesn’t give a damn.

And he sees the text is from, Cloud?

Cloud

_ I hope you’re having a good day today! Today’s training and mission was meh, but I hope you are doing better! :) _

  
  


His breathing slows and his heartbeat settles down. He doesn’t know why, but seeing that message calmed him down. He is even smiling. 

And now, he wants to see the blonde cadet.

But why though? He shouldn’t be asking himself that because he knows why.

He wants to feel that warmth again. That warmth he feels with Cloud and with Cloud only. 

Maybe...

Before he could think, his fingers move by themselves to text Cloud back.

Sephiroth

_ I’m not...having a good day today actually. _

Cloud

_ Oh no! D: What happened?! If you feel like telling me? _

Sephiroth smiles at Cloud’s considerations for his feelings. He’s too kind.

Sephiroth

_ Work today was, stressful. I feel like I want to stab something. _

Cloud

_ Oh it’s that type of day huh? Maybe we can meet up? Do something to de-stress yourself? _

Sephiroth thinks to himself. De-stress huh? As much as he would love to go into the training rooms and hit something, he wants to just, be in Cloud’s presence for a while. For some reason, he calms him down. It’s like he keeps him stable. 

Sephiroth

_ How about we meet at my apartment? I can call the receptionist to let you up to the SOLIDER floors. _

It took Cloud a few minutes to answer. He feels nervous and stupid now. Why would he say that?! He only has known the blonde for 3 days! Why was this moving fast?!

But then he finally got the text back.

Cloud

_ If you want, then I would love to! How about in an hour? _

Sephiroth

_ Of course, I’ll see you then. _

Sephiroth sighs in relief. Cloud agreed. Good. Now he should head to his apartment and get ready. As he walks there he couldn’t help but think, ‘What am I getting myself into?’

——-

‘What am I getting myself into?!’

Cloud thinks as he arrives on the SOLDIER floors and walks to Sephiroth’s apartment guided by the information by the receptionist.

He can’t help but quickly go over how he got here.

He was having a boring day. And he decided to text Sephiroth once the day was over for him. He was curious on how Sephiroth was doing. He decided to give him a nice simple message. But then when Sephiroth texted him back, what he read had him jump right away. 

Sephiroth clearly was not having a good day. Especially since he texted him that. He doesn’t think that he would be this honest to him. But he was. He offered to meet up and comfort him. But what he got was an invitation into his private space. And while he panicked for a few moments and tried to find the right words to text back, he didn’t think that he would have gotten this far. Especially on the 3rd day of them dating!

Cloud took a few breaths once he arrives at door number 7. He thinks to himself that he can do this. It’ll be fine. He hopes.

He then knocks. He knows that he is five minutes early. But it’s better to be early than late. He also changed into his causal clothes, a plain t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. If Sephiroth needs help to de-stress, wearing work clothes is not the way to go.

The door opens and he smiles up at him and Sephiroth smiles back. Sephiroth is wearing causal clothes as well. A plain t-shirt and sweatpants. He was barefoot too. Not that detail matters.

Sephiroth opens the door wider and steps aside, “Come in”

Cloud nods and steps in. The apartment is, really nice. A kitchen, living room, 2 bedrooms, maybe 2 bathrooms? And a balcony to look out of. It’s definitely a step up from Cloud’s dorm. Cloud politely takes his shoes off at the front entrance and walks further inside. Sephiroth closes the door behind him. And he turns back around to him.

Cloud hummed, “Sit down on the couch, I’ll make something”

Sephiroth tilts his head confused but then sits down. Cloud goes into the kitchen and looks around in it. It barely has, anything. It looks like the pots and pans have barely been touched. The only thing that is clearly used is the coffee maker. He has fruit in a bowl, and in the fridge, a few different drinks, including alcohol. While alcohol can sometimes help de-stress, he doesn’t feel like that’s what Sephiroth needs. Luckily, he brought his own bag of food supplies. 

He brought things to make tea specifically. His mom always made it whenever he was either cold or having a bad day. Even after leaving home, he decided to keep the tradition going for himself. And now, he is going to do the same for Sephiroth.

He has a tea kettle that he fills with water and puts it on the stove to heat. He finds the mugs and takes two out of the cabinet and sets them on the counter next to the stove. He takes out the jars of tea bags. He was thinking on what to use, but now he is confident on which one. Once the water was boiled, he turns off the burner and pours the steaming water into the mugs. He sets the kettle aside and puts the tea bags in the mugs and waits a few minutes for them to seep. Once passed, he took them out and threw them away.

He looks to Sephiroth sitting on the couch who was watching him curiously. He nods to himself and pulls out the sugar and honey jars he brought and set them on the counter. He puts one spoonful of sugar and honey into Sephiroth’s mug and stirs. He puts 3 spoonfuls of honey into his own. He imagines his mom giggling about how much honey he puts into his tea. But hey, it’s good, he tells her.

Satisfied, he grabs the handles of the mugs, and gives Sephiroth his mug and sits down next to him on the couch.

“There, done!”

Sephiroth stares into his mug. And looks at him in confused, “What is this?”

Cloud smiles, “It’s tea. Well Chamomile tea specifically. It helps calm down the nerves”

Sephiroth hums as he looks back at his mug. He lifts the mug to his lips and takes a sip.

His eyes widened, “It’s nice”

“I’m glad you like it”

Cloud takes a few sips of his own while Sephiroth continues to drink from his.

And he can see Sephiroth actually relaxing. Good, he’s glad that his tea is helping. They sat there in silence for a while, just drinking tea. Then Sephiroth set his mug down on the low table in front of them. He looked to Cloud unsure on what to say. But Cloud was patient. So he let Sephiroth take his time. 

“I enjoyed the tea. Thank you”

“It’s no big deal. I’m glad you enjoyed it”

“I might prefer it over coffee”

“Well some teas do have caffeine in it, if you need an energy burst”

“Really?”

“Yeah! Would you like some?”

“Yes, I would love some. Can you show me how to make tea?”

“Of course!”

They spent the rest of the evening talking about tea. Cloud didn’t think that was what would happen. But he had fun. And he can tell Sephiroth did too. He doesn’t know what happened to him that made him so frustrated, but he’s happy that he was able to help. He feels proud of himself of that. He can only imagine a few people were successful of that. 

Even though he doesn’t want this to end, he has to leave.

“Well I should get going. I have to get back before curfew”

Sephiroth looked a bit saddened about this. And Cloud felt terrible. He can’t just leave him. 

“Do you want me to stay?”

Sephiroth looked surprised but hopeful as well when he said this.

“I mean, if you would like to?”

Cloud chuckles, “So is that a yes?”

Sephiroth nods, “Please, stay”

And how can he say no to him after he looked at him so pleadingly. So Cloud takes out his PHS, “Let’s order some pizza and I can go out and get some ice cream from the store next door”

Once Cloud puts in the order, he stands up and smiles at Sephiroth. “I’ll be back, I promise”

‘Oh Gaia, what is he doing?!’

——-

‘Oh Gaia, what is he doing?!’ Sephiroth thinks to himself as Cloud leaves. Why did he ask him to stay? 

Cloud is a cadet, he has to meet certain standards and rules to not get himself in trouble. And yet, in his presence he can’t say no. Is it because he is the general? Butit seemed that Cloud wanted to stay with him. Even so, he should have let him go. It’s irresponsible on his part. But he couldn’t. 

When Cloud said he had to go, he was really upset. He didn’t mean to show it visibly, but Cloud caught it and asked him if he wanted him to stay. Again, he should have denied him and let him go. But instead he asked if Cloud wanted to.

And so, this has happened. Cloud is staying the night in his apartment. And they’ll eat pizza and ice cream together.

He just can’t let him go. Once Cloud is in his presence, he’s afraid to let him go. He wants that warm feeling to stay with him. Now if Angeal was here, he would be really concerned and tell him that is too possessive and to stop doing that. But he doesn’t care anymore. Not when it comes to Cloud.

Cloud then came through the door, since he left it unlocked, with bags of ice cream in hand.

“I’m back!”

“Welcome back”

Cloud toed off his shoes at the front entrance (so polite), and took the ice cream out of the bags and put them in the freezer.

“I wasn’t sure which flavor you would have liked, so I just got small tubs of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. The simple flavors”

“All of those are fine”

Then there was a knock on the door. “Oh! That must be the pizza!”

Cloud walks over to the door and the Pizza delivery man handed over the pizza to Cloud. He politely thanks him and gives him his money. The man leaves and Cloud closes the door, then sets the pizza on the low table.

“Okay! What would you like to drink?” As Cloud walks over to the kitchen again to grab some cups.

He shouldn’t let Cloud do all the work. He is the guest after all. But he has a feeling that Cloud would be stubborn and still serve him.

“Just water is fine”

“Alright!”

When Cloud came back he asked if he can turn on the TV. Sephiroth nodded and let him grab the remote and turned it on. 

They just sat, talked, and ate pizza and ice cream for the night. (He realized that he really likes chocolate after he ate the chocolate bar last night. So he enjoyed the chocolate ice cream). 

He realizes it’s late and he lets Cloud sleep in his guest bedroom. Cloud brought a bag of his own clothes when he went out to the store. So he didn’t have to offer any of his own clothes. (Why was he a bit upset about this?). 

They say goodnight to each other. And as Sephiroth got ready for bed. He can’t help but to think himself that he can’t wait to be with Cloud tomorrow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just like hot tea ok?! I blame FE3H for getting me into it lol


	4. Day 4: Thursday-Free Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s Cloud and Sephiroth’s day off! They decide to spar against each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is the shortest chapter I have written for this particular day. But don’t worry, the last few chapters will make up for it lol. 
> 
> Let me also say, I don’t write fight scenes very well. Fight scenes are my weakness, but I hope I did a decent enough job for this chapter.
> 
> Lastly I like to thank you all for reading and coming this far! I hope you stick around till the end!
> 
> Now onwards! *draws sword*

When Cloud woke up the next morning, it took him a few minutes to realize where he was. He was sleeping in the guest bedroom of Sephiroth’s apartment. He stayed the night.

Cloud’s face turns red at this. He can’t believe it! He actually stayed the night at his crush’s apartment! How did this happen?!

Well, luckily today was a day off for him. So he didn’t need to report in for training or a mission today. But Sephiroth will have to, and that means he might have already left. That saddens him a bit. He was looking forward to seeing him in the morning. Maybe make him some breakfast? 

And that’s another thing, why does he have the sudden urge to take care of Sephiroth? Maybe after he saw the way he was yesterday, he just felt like it was something he had to do. He sighs as he gets up and gets himself ready for the day.

When he walks out into the living room, he’s surprised to see Sephiroth still here sitting in the couch. He can see him holding a mug and sipping from it while watching TV. Did he make himself some tea?

As if he heard him approach, Sephiroth turns his head and smiles at him. “Good morning Cloud”

“Morning”

“I made some tea myself. You are right, it does give a boost of energy”

“I’m glad, um”

Sephiroth saw his confusion and asked, “What is wrong?”

“Oh! It’s just, I thought you would be working right now?”

Sephiroth chuckles, “I would be, but today is my day off”

“Day off? Really?!”

Cloud was excited. Who knew they would both have a day off on the same day! Now he can definitely hang out with him! But what to do today?

“Yes, I usually don’t take many day offs. But Angeal insisted that I should every now and then”

“I see, so what do you plan on doing today?”

Sephiroth hummed to himself thinking, “Well I usually would read or train in the training rooms”

Train in the training rooms huh? Actually...

“Do you want to go together? To the training rooms?”

Sephiroth’s eyes widened, “You want to spar with me?

Cloud laughs at his surprised expression, “Of course! It’ll be fun! Come on let’s get into our uniforms”

When they got dressed they set off to the training rooms on floor 49. These floors are usually reserved for SOLDIERS. The only way cadets can come up here is if they get special permission.

Cloud was lucky that he is able to come here a lot due to Zack training him to pass his SOLDIER exams. In which, he has failed a few times, but he still is trying. He’ll get in, he has to.

When they walked in, Sephiroth walked over to the simulation device. “Where do you prefer?”

“Anywhere you like to go. I don’t mind”

Sephiroth nodded and input the settings into the simulation. The land that formed was green, and many temples were around them. 

“Does this work?”

Cloud nods, “Yeah” 

Cloud already grabbed a sword to use against Sephiroth in the spar. Sephiroth took Masamune out of the sheath and took his stance.

“Ready?”

“Ready”

——————-

Cloud immediately strikes first with speed he never expected an average cadet. He was taken off guard a bit, but he was able to block the attack. Cloud smirks and then pulls back. Oh he’s a little cocky. Alright then. Reminds him of Genesis a little bit, when he fights with him. Sephiroth thinks this spar is going to be interesting.

Cloud continues to go on offense while he stays on defense. Cloud’s attacks are light on him but he makes up for it with his speed. Sooner that Sephiroth got used to it, his guard was down a bit and Cloud got a hit on his side with a kick.

Damn! He stumbles a bit but puts his guard up again. Cloud grins glad he got the one up on him, “Come on! I know you’re not putting your all into it!”

It’s true, he’s not using his full strength, at most a third of it.

“Come on! Don’t hold back!”

Sephiroth is unsure if he shouldn’t. Cloud isn’t a SOLDIER. He doesn’t see if it’s a good idea to use his full strength, like he does with Genesis and Angeal. But since the blonde is insisting, especially with the skills he has isn’t like any cadet, then he’ll use half his strength.

So Sephiroth switches to offense and strikes first. Cloud raises his sword and defends, but wasn’t anticipating the weight on it and almost falters. But he was able to push back and go against him. Sephiroth is a bit surprised. Most people are not able to recover from a hit like that. 

They continue like this, going back and forth. Eventually Cloud slipped his guard and Sephiroth was able to pin him against the wall of a temple with his sword. 

“Yield”

Cloud should have given up, but to his shock he didn’t. He used magic against him. An Earth materia to be exact. He stumbles back and the blonde got out of his pinned position. Cloud grins, “I’m not done yet!”

Sephiroth was impressed. He never thought Cloud could have been able to do that. Most people would have yielded. But Cloud...

Cloud starts using magic alongside his attacks. A few fires, lightnings, and more. Sephiroth knew that this is where things get serious. Cloud isn’t holding back. So he shouldn’t either. He starts using magic as well. 

So he struck back with ice, water, anything against the magical strikes. Even with this newfound strength and strategy, Cloud was starting to slow down. Eventually he lost his guard again. Sephiroth pins him on the ground with his foot on the blonde’s chest and sword pointed by his neck.

“Will you yield now?”

Cloud sighs and smiles, “I know that it would be stupid not to”

Sephiroth smiles and sheath’s Masamune. He holds a hand out to Cloud to help him up. Cloud reaches out and takes it. Sephiroth ends the simulation and they both sit on a bench that was present there. 

After taking a few moments to rest, Sephiroth spoke up, “You fought well. I’m impressed”

Cloud seems to appreciate the compliment, “Really? I’ve been training really hard”

“I can tell. I had no idea you could use materia”

Cloud scratches his head, “Yeah, Zack let me borrow some. Since I have to know how to use it for the SOLDIER exams”

“Have you taken them yet?”

“Yeah, a few...”

Sephiroth raises an eyebrow at this, “A few? How many exactly?”

“Ummm”

Cloud fidgets anxiously. Like he’s afraid of answering. After a few moments Cloud sighs and finally answers, “Six times”

Sephiroth’s eyes widen in surprise, “Six? You have taken the SOLDIER exam six times?”

“I know, and I never passed any of them. Pathetic right?”

Sephiroth shakes his head in disagreement, “On the contrary, I think that’s impressive”

Cloud looks at him surprised, “Really? How?”

“Even after failing them, you kept trying. Many would have stopped after two or three tries but you? You have tried six times now. That takes incredible strength and perseverance”

Cloud’s face seems to turn red at this, “I...” he then smiles, “Thank you. That means so much to me”

Sephiroth nods, “So, you’re trying again”

“There is one coming up in two days. I’ve been preparing for it. I actually was going to train today anyways but...”

“But?”

“I decided that you could train with me. I wanted the see if I’m ready for it. And besides...”

Cloud looks at him embarrassed, “I was curious on what fighting you would be like, so I...”

“I see”

Cloud wanted to spar with him not just for training, but because he was curious. That’s fine with him. Many people have wanted to spar against him to see how they fare. But many usually didn’t last that long against him. The only people that have were Angeal, Genesis, and now Cloud.

Which was curious in itself, if Cloud’s fighting style and Materia skills are up to par with SOLDIER standards, especially against him, why hadn’t he passed them?

“Say Cloud”

“Hm?”

“If you don’t mind me asking, why do you keep failing them?”

“Why?”

“Because from what I have gathered from our spar, you should have passed by now”

“Well, it’s because I never was able to pass the Mako test”

“The Mako test, can you elaborate?”

Some people that take the SOLDIER exams do have to pass the Mako test to see if they are compatible or not. If not, then they stay troopers. If they do pass, then they will become SOLDIER’s. But surely there could be exceptions to this. 

“This might sound strange to you but, I keep getting turned away”

‘What?’

Sephiroth is surprised by this. He looks at Cloud confused, “What do you mean by that?”

“I never got to enter the labs to see if I’m compatible or not. I have always turned away from the front desk. And that frustrates me”

It should. To be turned away even though you haven’t been tested yet? Then you automatically fail the exam because of it? Something doesn’t add up. 

“Have you asked why?”

“I’ve tried but they just say that it’s orders and they can’t do nothing about it. It just, doesn’t make any sense to me. I don’t understand...”

Cloud let’s out a frustrated breath, “At this point, if I don’t pass the exam this time, I’ll just, go home”

Go home?

Hearing this makes no sense to him. Why would he go home?

“Why? You can still be in the army. You’re skills are impressive”

“I guess but, I made a promise”

“A promise to who?”

“My mom and my childhood friend. I promised them that I’ll get stronger and join SOLDIER. Not just for myself, but to protect them as well”

“That’s...”

Really noble of him. He knew Cloud was a selfless person. That’s probably part of his charm. His consideration for others than himself. 

“But...if I fail again here, it’s probably not meant to be. It was an unattainable dream for myself”

Cloud looked so downtrodden, he felt his chest ache for him. He wants to put that smile back onto his face.

“I’ll look into it”

“Huh?”

“You’re exams. I’ll figure out why you weren’t allowed to pass the Mako test. None of what you mentioned about it sounds right. So I’ll look into it”

Cloud looked shocked from this but then he shook his head, “No, there will be no point. They won’t say anything, I’ve tried”

“I’m sure that if it’s me they talk to, they will mention something”

“I appreciate it but please, don’t involve yourself. I have to do this myself”

“But Cloud-!”

“No!”

Cloud yells at him and Sephiroth is shocked into silence. He’s so confused. He just wanted to help.

Cloud looks apologetic, “Sorry I yelled at you it’s just... for a long time now, I have always fought my own battles alone. I want to prove myself with just my own skills. That’s how it has always been...I can’t drag anyone else into my messes”

“Cloud...”

Cloud sighs and stands up. He turns and smiles a sad one towards him, “I appreciate the thought. Thank you, but I have to get going”

Cloud turns and starts walking away. For some reason Sephiroth felt like something severed between them. He was scared. He stood up quickly.

“Wait-!”

Before exiting the training room, Cloud turns around and smiles sadly again (he strongly dislikes that expression, he just wants to see Cloud smile brightly), “Thanks for the spar. I’ll text you later”

And then he steps through the door. He’s gone.

Everything was going fine, what happened? He thinks about what Cloud has told him about the SOLDIER exams. He steels himself, he needs to figure this out. He has to, for Cloud. His biggest suspicion is on one person,

Hojo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Didn’t expect that ending, did you? :)


	5. Day 5: Friday-Gloves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud is trying to find a way to apologize to Sephiroth about what happened yesterday. Then he got a call from Zack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhh I like this is one for many reasons. But I shall not tell, because you all will read soon lol 
> 
> Again thank you all for taking your time in reading this fic. I really appreciate it!
> 
> And here we go!

Cloud felt like crap after what happened yesterday. He knows that Sephiroth was just trying to help. But Cloud just wanted to handle it on his own.

Of course the guilt was too much that he had to tell Zack about it. And of course Zack sternly said to apologize and make it up to him. And also,

“It’s okay to ask for help every now and then. Especially in a situation you can’t control. Personally, I was going to look into it myself, if you took the SOLDIER exam and they failed you again. Just because they won’t let you take the Mako test. Something is wrong there, I agree with Sephiroth on this one”

And yeah, now that Cloud thinks about it, it really is odd. He should ask people higher ranking than him for help on this. 

So he texted Sephiroth that he was sorry and said that he’ll make it up to him the next day.

And today is that day. Cloud is trying to think what to do. Maybe another outing? Or maybe go over to his apartment again and make him something? He might as well, since he left his tea stuff there. He didn’t realize until he got back to his dorm.

That’s also another thing, people heard about him dating Sephiroth for the week. Rumors spread of course. Not just the fan club, but to all of Shinra employees. The biggest ones being the fact he stayed in his apartment for the night and spared the next day. He gained many glares of jealousy from both men and woman.

But at this point, he could care less, Sephiroth is the only person that matters to him. So only his thoughts matter not others. 

But before he can make up his mind on how to make it up to him, he gets a call from Zack. Huh, that’s weird. Wasn’t he going to Sector 5 to meet his girlfriend today?

He answers, “Zack what’s-“

“Cloud! You need to come over to Sephiroth’s apartment! Quick!” 

Zack’s voice sounds panicked. Cloud grew worried,“What happened?!”

“I don’t know! Well not exactly, but I was by the labs because Angeal said that he was worried for Sephiroth. So I volunteered to watch out for him. I heard a commotion and busted into the labs and I just see Sephiroth collapsed on the ground”

Cloud grew very worried now. He started running to the elevator to get to the SOLDIER floors. “I’m on my way! What happened next?”

“Well I called Angeal and Genesis for help and we carried him back to his apartment. Man for a tall person, he can be pretty heavy. But anyways, he’s just laying on couch for now. Angeal and Genesis went off already to figure out the situation. And now I’m here watching him but...”

Cloud raised a brow at this, “But?”

“I thought that he’ll need you more than me. Just my opinion anyways. He seems to like you a lot”

Cloud blushes at that. Sephiroth really likes him? He finally arrives on the apartment floor and quickly walks out, “I’m here. Have the door unlocked for me okay?”

“Gotcha! See ya soon!”

And then Zack hangs up. Cloud does so as well and put his PHS away in his pocket. He gets there in no less than 20 seconds and opens the door.

He sees Zack sitting on a chair next to Sephiroth who was laying on the couch. As he walked closer to him, he can see that Sephiroth was in pain and looked to have a fever. Cloud grew concerned and without thinking kneeled down next to Sephiroth and laid his gloved hand to his cheek. 

Sephiroth’s expression soon changed and seemed to have softened. He opened his eyes a little and looked over at him.

“Cloud?” he groaned.

Cloud smiles, “I’m here. It’ll be okay. Just rest for now”

Sephiroth sighs and goes back to sleep.

And suddenly he remembers Zack is in the room and turns to him a little embarrassed. Zack is grinning with his arms crossed. He clearly is enjoying this isn’t he?

“Welp, looks like I’m not needed here. I’ll leave you to it”

He stands up and starts to leave but then turns around, “Oh! Would you like me to get your stuff? Since you are staying the night and all?”

“Ah well...”

He told Zack what he needed and gave him his dorm key to get his things. When Zack leaves, he sighs and he goes back to sit by Sephiroth’s side. He starts stroking his cheek. 

This feeling, what is this? And why was he touching him like this? Why does this feel right?

He never realized how long he has been doing this, until Zack announced himself holding two bags of his things for the night. Cloud stood up and thanked Zack for bringing his stuff.

“Yeah it’s no big deal! So you got this?”

Cloud looks to Sephiroth and smiles. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. I can take care of him”

“Alright then, if you’re sure, I’ll leave you to it”

“Oh wait!”

“Yeah?”

“How was he found in the lab?”

“Hmmm, well, as I said he was already on the ground when I busted in. And Hojo was just standing above him. He didn’t even bother to help him. He just shrugged and went back to his work! Gaia what an asshole!”

“Hojo?”

Why does that name sound familiar? He thinks hard enough and then suddenly he sees flashes of white sterile gloves in his mind. This shocks Cloud and suddenly the memory is gone. What was that?

Zack looked at him concern, “Hey you alright there bud?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking...”

Zack looks at him unsure, then sighs, “Well, if you say so. Text or call me if you need anything alright?”

“Alright”

“I guess I’ll leave you two alone” Zack grins mischievously. 

Cloud rolls his eyes, “Yeah yeah, see ya”

Zack laughs and leaves. Cloud then sets his bags down. He starts making soup for Sephiroth when he wakes up. Then he has to...strip him of his clothes. Cloud blushes at this thought. He shakes his head, it’s to take care of him. That’s all. As he is stirring the soup, he thinks, ‘What happened to Sephiroth?’

——

_ Earlier _

Sephiroth came into his office and he sees both Angeal and Genesis standing there with the documents he needs from Cloud’s SOLDIER exams. Even though Cloud texted him an apology and said it was fine to look into things, he would have done it anyways. 

He sits at his desk and looks through the documents he was handed with.

Genesis sighs, “I have no idea why you want to look into your boyfriend’s SOLDIER exams”

“Because something doesn’t seem right. Especially after I have spared with him yesterday. He should’ve been in SOLDIER by now”

Angeal nods, “I agree, he should’ve been in SOLDIER by now”

Sephiroth looks up from the documents and looks at his two friends seriously, “You both lead the Physical and Materia tests, tell me how he was in them”

Angeal sighs and answers, “Well for the first two, he wasn’t his best. He had his speed, but his fighting stances and strength was sloppy. But when he took his third, I can see him improving. By his fifth and sixth exam, he has been fantastic. His move speed is incredible and he holds his sword perfectly in his own way”

“So he has passed his Physical tests a few times already”

“Yes”

He looks to Genesis. “Hmph, well I do agree with Angeal. His first two tests weren’t the best. Could barely produce a flame. But by his third, he was able to do that and more with the basic spells. By his sixth exam, he could summon Bahamut Zero”

Both Angeal and Sephiroth looked at him in shock, “He can what?”

“Well, I haven’t tested that out yet. But I’m confident in saying that he can summon a powerful one”

Genesis smirks, “You know, if you already weren’t dating him, I would have taken him under my wing. He is really cute”

Sephiroth glares at him and growls, “Dont even try it”

“Oh? Jealous are we? I wonder why?”

Angeal rolls his eyes, “Genesis stop teasing him”

“But it’s fun!”

Sephiroth took a deep breath to calm down. What is he doing? Why did he get so defensive over Cloud? But no matter, he knows how strong he is. It’s been like this for a while. So why isn’t he in SOLDIER yet?

“Considering all this, Cloud should have been in SOLDIER by now. But for some reason he isn’t. Why?”

Angeal hummed in thought, “The only thing I can think of is that he hasn’t passed his Mako test. Maybe he isn’t compatible?”

Genesis shook his head, “But with skills like that, he should be compatible. That makes no sense”

Sephiroth nods, “I agree. It doesn’t make sense. What really doesn’t make sense to me, is the fact that he gets turned away from the labs every time he goes to take it. So as a result, he fails”

Genesis and Angeal faces turn sternly when they heard this. 

“I think I know who is turning him away”

Angeal answers for him, “Hojo right?”

“Yes, he must be the one responsible. I’m sure of it”

“So what are you going to do about it?”

Sephiroth stands up from his desk, “I’m going to confront him”

Genesis and Angeal look at each other unsure, “Do you think that’s a good idea? What if he doesn’t say anything?”

“Then I’ll make him talk”

He had a determined look on his face. He has to know. He has to figure this out or else, Cloud would leave. He doesn’t want that. 

As he starts to walk out, Genesis grabs his arm. Sephiroth glares at him, “You can’t stop me”

Genesis sighs, “No I guess not. Be careful though”

Sephiroth smirks, “Worried about me? That’s a first”

“Hmph!” He let’s go of his arm and crosses his own, “I just have this bad feeling is all”

“Well thank you for the concern, but I’ll be fine. He won’t do anything to me, I won’t let him”

Sephiroth walks past them and heads to the labs. He hates going there. He never had any good memories of the place. But he has to figure out this mystery.

As he marches in, the scientists try to stop him. Saying that Hojo is busy with an experiment or what not. He walks in anyways.

He sees Hojo looking at some flower creature and writing notes on his clipboard. He could care less about what it is. As if knowing that it’s him, the scientist addresses him, “So, you finally came back from the other day. Have you cooled down yet”

“Why should that concern you?”

“Hmmm”

Hojo turns to the scientists present there, “Leave us”

They don’t protest and just leave the lab room. Once they’re alone, he goes right into questioning Hojo, “Have you been refusing people from taking the Mako tests?”

“Of course not. Why would I?”

“Really? No one at all has been turned away before taking one?”

“What are you implying?”

Sephiroth narrows his eyes, “Have you heard of a man named Cloud Strife?”

Hojo’s eyes suddenly peaked in interest, “Oh? Him? What about him?”

“So you do know who he is. Why have you been turning him away? He should have been in SOLDIER by now with his skills”

“Oh yes, from what I have observed he should be”

“Then-“

“You think I have been turning him away? Well that’s partially true”

Sephiroth looked him suspiciously, “What do you mean by that?”

Hojo smirks, “Well I have given him his Mako tests. Just not in the usual way”

Sephiroth grew nervous. If that’s true, then no wonder Cloud was able to keep up with him. No wonder why he is more powerful than an average cadet. He has been getting Mako injections without knowing. As if they erase his memory every single time he came. He glares at Hojo, furious, “No...what have you done to him?!”

“Oh nothing major. You’ll see soon enough once he comes by tomorrow”

“See what?”

“The Reunion”

Something struck him at that word. Reunion? Why does that sound so familiar? Then he felt a presence behind him and turned around. SOLDIER’s?

“What are you all doing here?”

Hojo then spoke up, “Restrain him”

No, what is he-?!

They attacked him. Trying to pin him down but he fought them off. But more kept coming. Of course because he was distracted, he felt a prick on his neck. He pushed whoever it was off and turned to see Hojo smirking while holding a syringe.

“Let’s see what happens when his cells enter yours”

“You-“

But whatever he was injected with made him feel dizzy. He eventually collapsed. 

“What’s going on in here?!”

He heard a familiar voice, “Huh?! Sephiroth?! Are you okay?!”

Before he can answer, he closed his eyes and lost consciousness.

———

Sephiroth’s mind started to rouse, he felt fingers brushing his hair. Who...?

He opens his eyes and sees a familiar face. 

“Cloud?”

The blonde smiles, his blue eyes tinted with green twinkle brightly as always when he’s happy, “You’re awake!”

Sephiroth eyes widened, Wait where is he?! He sits up quickly and realizes that’s a mistake. He feels a little nauseous from the movement. Cloud immediately scolded him, “Don’t do that! You’re not feeling well!”

“Sorry...”

Cloud sighs, “It’s fine. Just lay back and rest”

Sephiroth did just that and put a hand on his neck. He felt something there, but what?

Cloud looks at him concerned, “How are you feeling?”

“Not well, but I do feel better with you here”

Cloud face flushes a bit, “O-oh! I’m glad!”

Cloud stands up, “I made some soup for you! I’ll heat it up”

As Cloud walks over to the kitchen. Sephiroth looks down at himself. He notices that his SOLDIER armor was taken off. Including his coat, gloves, and shoes. And his pants where changed to sweat pants. Did Cloud...?

He then saw a bowl of soup in his vision and he looks up to Cloud’s face who is smiling gently. He sits up slowly to take the bowl and thanks him.

He starts sipping the soup with the spoon. It’s...

“Delicious”

Cloud looks proud of himself when he said it, “Thanks! I’m glad you like it!”

As Sephiroth eats his soup, Cloud goes back into the kitchen. Looks like he is making tea. 

Sephiroth then wonders, Why and how is Cloud here? He decides to voice this question out loud.

“Oh! Zack called me and told me that you collapsed in the labs. He asked me to come over to help”

“How did I get here?”

“Zack told me that he found you. Angeal and Genesis helped carry you here”

“I see...”

Cloud came over with two mugs of tea and hands one over to him. Sephiroth places the bowl down to take the warm mug. Cloud sits nexts to him and they silently drink their tea. After a while, Cloud finally spoke up, “Sephiroth, may I ask a question?”

“Yes?”

“Why were you in the labs?”

Sephiroth sighs, “I wanted to figure out why they kept failing your Mako tests”

“Oh...did you find anything?”

“I remember that I talked to Hojo but, I can’t remember exactly what we talked about”

“I see...so you didn’t find anything”

Sephiroth felt really guilty about this. He went there to find answers and what he got was nothing. But he remembered one thing that stuck out to him...

“Cloud?”

“Hm?”

“Do you know something about a ‘Reunion’?”

“A Reunion?”

Cloud looks up thinking to himself and then turns to him, “I don’t know why, but it sounds familiar to me for some reason”

Cloud knows about it too? What does this mean? 

Cloud then pulls out his PHS and looks at the time. His eyes widened, “It’s that late?! We should get some rest”

Sephiroth nods in agreement. But, he wants Cloud to stay beside him.

“Cloud, can you stay with me? For a little longer?”

“O-oh! Okay...”

———

Cloud is glad that Sephiroth is feeling better. But what he heard about what happened to him was concerning. Why would he suddenly collapse in the labs? He didn’t give any indication that he was sick. He would have noticed yesterday.

And a Reunion? Why does that sound familiar to him? 

“Cloud, may I ask you for something?”

“Yeah of course! Anything!”

“Can you, brush my hair again?”

Cloud feels embarrassed. He didn’t know why he started doing that in the first place. He just felt like it because, it seemed right. 

Cloud nods anyways and carefully brushes Sephiroth’s hair with his fingers. And then he notices that his gloves are still on. He never took them off? 

“It feels...nice”

“Has no one else brushed your hair?”

“No, not that I can remember”

Then on instinct he carefully lays Sephiroth’s head down on his lap and continues brushing his hair. Wait, why did he just do that?! But Sephiroth didn’t seem to mind. He seems, content. 

This, was nice. It takes his mind off what he will do tomorrow. Which was the SOLDIER exam. If he doesn’t pass then...

“Cloud?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you”

“For what?”

“For taking care of me”

Cloud smiles, “Of course, it’s only natural”

They stayed there for a while. Feeling at peace with each other’s presence. Cloud feels confident now. He will pass his exam. And he’ll fulfill his promise to his mom and Tifa. And stay with Sephiroth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so ready to drop Day 6, but y’all have to wait till tomorrow lol


	6. Day 6: Saturday-Hanahaki

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sephiroth goes on a mission to kill an escaped lab creature. Unfortunately he gains a status effect from it. Meanwhile, Cloud takes his SOLDIER exam.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so excited for this chapter! Because a lot of plot happens lol
> 
> I know I’ve said this many times, but thank you so so much for reading this fic. It really means a lot to me
> 
> Good news, I’m done with my job training, so the last chapter won’t come way later into the day! Yay!
> 
> So now without further ado, let’s go right into it!

Sephiroth woke up in the morning in his bed. Was he moved in the middle of the night? He got up and went into the living room to see if Cloud was there. He wasn’t unfortunately. He noticed a note on the dining table and read it.

_ I have gone to prepare to take my SOLDIER exam. I’ll text you later when I’m done! _

_ Cloud _

The SOLDIER exam? Right that was happening today. Sephiroth can only hold out hope that he passes. He gets an email to his PHS. He looks at it and he groans in frustration. Apparently a creature escaped from the lab and he was sent to kill it since it’s unhinged. 

Typical that he has to clean up Hojo’s messes. But he gets ready by putting on his SOLDIER uniform and grabs Masamune on the way out. 

He is assisted with Zack ironically as they go off near the Sector 5 slums where the creature was sighted. And since they are down here, it doesn’t stop Zack from talking about his girlfriend.

“I’m telling you she is just the sweetest! She’s cute but has that fiery side to her, I love it! She also grows and sells flowers! It’s incredible how she even gets flowers to grow down here! And-!”

Before Sephiroth can tell the man to shut up he hears a woman scream. They both turn and hurry to the direction.

They come upon the church and he sees Zack’s face go pale, “Aerith!”

They quickly go inside and see a Rafflesia closing in on a young woman with braided brunette hair in a pink dress. 

Zack drew out his sword, “Aerith! Don’t worry we’ll protect you!”

Aerith turned to their direction and sighed in relief, “Zack! Please kill it! It’s ruining the flowers!”

“On it!”

Sephiroth drew his sword and went to attack the creature. The Rafflesia turned its attention to himself and Zack and started attacking. They managed to evade its attack. Zack casts fire on it repeatedly until it weakens and starts to wither. Sephiroth decided to stab on it but then it did something unexpected. It spit out spores at him, as it’s last line of defense. But it was too late for it already and it stops moving. 

Sephiroth coughed once he drew back his sword from the dead creature. Zack looks at him worried. “Are you alright?”

Sephiroth shook his head when his coughing ceased, “I’m fine”

“Zack!” Aerith jumped into Zack’s arms to hug him, “Thank you!”

Zack grinned, “It’s no big deal! I’m just glad you’re safe!”

“Oh! And thank you General sir!”

Sephiroth nods in acknowledgement and then the flower girl turns to her flowers, “Oh! I wonder if they’re okay!”

She bends down and tends to her flowers and Zack joins her. They begin small talk and that’s when he thinks it’s time to leave the couple be. He can report in for them. As he turns away and begins to leave, he suddenly starts coughing. He feels something tickling on the back of his throat. The hell was it?!

He hears Zack coming over to check on him as he’s hacking and coughing. Finally he coughs what was stuck in his throat into his hand and what he sees bewilders him. 

A flower...

——————-

Cloud is nervous but he’s determined to do well in this exam. He’s been through it six times now, he’s confident that he can pass on his seventh try. He has to, to keep his promise and to stay with Sephiroth. He’s ready.

First is the physical test. Angeal is the one in charge of these since he is one of the commanders. Usually how is done is that a few first soldiers come and spar with the cadets trying out. Angeal goes around and observes them. The attacks consist of the cadet to parry, block, strikes, and more. Once Angeal has looked over everyone, he stops them and writes down the results and hands you the paper. 

So it goes like that, six other cadets have joined alongside him as well. As he fights the SOLDIER in front of him, he can feel Angeal’s eyes on him. More so than previous times. Is it because he is dating their friend? So he’s paying extra attention on him? It does make him feel a bit anxious, but he can’t falter now. He has to pass this.

After what seemed like hours but was actually 10 minutes, Angeal announces them to cease fighting. Holding a clipboard of paper, he walks to each cadet and writes down the score and hands it to them. Cloud was the last one to receive his. 

Angeal stood in front of him and smiles. Huh? He writes down the results and hands the paper to him.

“Congrats”

And he walks away. Cloud tilts his head in confusion wondering why he would say that. Until he looks at his results and his eyes bulge.

A perfect score! How?! Cloud couldn’t believe it! He didn’t think this was possible. But he has no time to think about his test. He has 15 minutes to get to the next one.

The materia test. Led by Genesis Rhapsodos himself. When he walks in with the other cadets, the red haired commander has his back turned from them with his Loveless book out. Once all 7 of the cadets are lined up, Genesis turns and recites lines from Loveless.

“When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end

The goddess descends from the sky

Wings of light and dark spread afar

She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting”

He always has the flare of the dramatics. Usually no one would comment on it in front of him, since he is above them. Cloud didn’t know why, but he spoke up,“Loveless, the Prologue”

Genesis looked at him in shock. He didn’t expect him to know Loveless.

“You know it?”

Cloud awkwardly nods, “Yes, I have seen the play with a friend”

And Sephiroth would sometimes talk about it and how his egocentric friend would recite this play over and over again. But he can’t tell Genesis that.

He smiles, “Well, it’s nice to see someone so cultured!”

He then turns to everyone else and he knows he felt the glares of the cadets. It’s hard to gain one of the commander’s favor. But it seemed that he gained both of them.

They were to cast the basic spells: Fire, Ice, Lightning, and Earth. Then the status effect spells: Sleep, Stop, and Silence. And then Barrier and Reflect. A simulation dummy is used for this. Genesis usually has them go one at a time, cycling through the 3 trials. He takes note on paper, and then announces their results out loud just to show no one is equal to each other. Or to humiliate the person who did the worst. He remembers when that happened a few times...

Anyways they begin with the basic spells. Going down the line, Cloud was the last to go. When he stepped up he can see Genesis’s smile expectedly. Oh he wants him to not fail. Well that’s nice, if he wasn’t pressured. But that’s what he gets for putting attention onto himself. So he takes a deep breath and takes the Materia out one by one to cast the spell. 

Of course he only cast Level 1 of the spells since that’s all the commander needs to see. He cast them effortlessly, like it was second nature. He can tell Genesis was impressed. Before Cloud went back in line, Genesis stopped him.

“Can you cast a Level 2 Fire?”

Cloud raised a brow at this, but nodded. He takes the Fire Materia out again and casts it easily. Even though it should be quite difficult, he was able to do it.

Genesis smirks, “Impressive”

He nods at him and Cloud takes that as a signal to get back in line. He can feel the glares from the other cadets even more now.

They get through the 2nd and 3rd trials. He thought they were done but of course, Genesis had something up his sleeve. Literally. 

He takes out a summon Materia and addresses them, “I want you all to try and summon it”

The cadets look worried. They weren’t trained to do that! It wasn’t part of the test! But Genesis smiles, “Don’t worry, it won’t affect your results, think of it as extra credit”

The cadets sigh in relief, but are still confused. But they each try anyways. And so far, none of them are able to bring out the summon. Once it’s in Cloud’s hands, Genesis grins.

Cloud then wonders, was this set up to have him bring out the summon? Why? But he might as well try. He never did use a summon Materia. He closed his eyes and felt the summon within, and then he called it out.

And what happened surprised everyone in the training room. A massive dragon like creature of gold came down from above. It was Bahamut Fury.

Cloud couldn’t believe it. He was able to summon one?! A powerful one at that!

Genesis claps his hands together, “Well done! I’m fascinated that you were able to summon him! Now let’s put him back”

And Cloud was able to put him back somehow. He gave the Materia back to Genesis. The red head pocketed it and walked to the middle, “Now then, the results”

Genesis goes to stand in front of each cadet and tells them if they did well or not. Some of the comments were alright, some harsh, and some he didn’t say much. 

When Genesis got to him, he grins, “I think we can all agree that he surpassed you all. Not only can he cast Level 2 spells, but he can call forth a summon. So congrats Cadet Strife, you passed with flying colors”

Cloud couldn’t believe what he just heard. The most egocentric and dramatic commander praised him. 

As the cadets walk out to get to the labs for Mako testing, Cloud ponders on what happened the past two tests. Both commanders gave him the highest score in both tests. Was it because they are Sephiroth’s friends? Did they give him the extra attention cause he is dating him? But that can’t be right, because they never gave attention to previous people that dated Sephiroth for a week. So what gives? Was he really that skilled?

Before he knows it he arrives at the labs waiting room. He sits in one of the chairs until they call out for him. One by one, a cadet goes through and come out with either smiles, frowns, or dazed. 

This is the last obstacle. They have to let him through. It would suck if he was turned away after he passed his two tests.

After what felt like forever, he was called upon to enter the labs. He was shocked. They are letting him in?

He stands up and walks through the lab doors. From there he was guided by one of the scientists to one of the examination rooms. And he sees the man himself, Professor Hojo. 

He feels a headache come up for a second. Why does he look, familiar? Not in a rumor level but by a personal level. Why...?

The professor grew impatient, “Come on boy! We don’t have all day!”

Cloud snapped back to the present and walked over to the chair that was there and sat on it.

Well, here goes nothing.

———

Sephiroth couldn’t believe his eyes. How in Gaia had he coughed up a flower?! Even Zack was shocked. Before he could say anything, Sephiroth was coughing again. More flowers came up and spit out. What the hell?!

Aerith came over to see the situation and what she sees has her shocked, “Those, are...”

“Huh?”

The flower girl blinks and composes herself, “These small ones are Forget-Me-Nots, they mean a deep unbreakable connection. These round ones are orange Tulips, they mean a connection both physically and spiritually. And the yellow flowers...”

She grew silent at these flowers. Zack grew curious, “Yeah? What do they mean?”

Aerith took a deep breath, “They mean reunion”

Reunion? It’s that word Hojo said to him yesterday, what does this mean? He starts coughing again. And they both look at him worried. The couple talk amongst themselves.

“How did this happen? Was it the monster we defeated? It did spit out some spores when Sephiroth killed it”

Aerith nods, “Yeah that might be it. It’s a status effect”

“One that makes you cough out flowers? I never heard of such a status effect”

“That’s because it was never one. Someone made it”

“But who?”

Once Sephiroth was able to spit out the flowers and catch his breath, he thought about it some more. He had seen that monster before, and now he is about to go up to the man and strangle him.

“Hojo” he snarled.

Zack and Aerith looked at him in alarm, “What?!”

“Yesterday, when I went in there, I saw him examining it. It has to be him”

Zack put a hand on his chin thinking, “Wait if that’s true then, did he release it? He was the one who requested for it to be killed. He must’ve known what it would do. So why...?”

Oh he knew, he knows why and it’s making him even more pissed, “He set this up. He wanted me to kill it so it would do it’s job”

“But still, why though? What would he gain from it? What is his goal?”

What was his goal? Sephiroth thought hard on it, and suddenly it came back to him.

“Well I have given him his Mako tests. Just not in the usual way”

‘No, Cloud!’

He started coughing again and once more flowers were out he quickly composed himself and ran out the church.

“Sephiroth, wait!”

He heard footsteps behind him but he didn’t care.

Cloud’s in trouble.

————

“Well then, shall we get started?”

Cloud nods but he has to admit, he’s a bit nervous. He sees Hojo turn to his tray and sees, two syringes? But he only needs one injection right? Why is there a second one?

The professor takes one of them and turns back around a grins.

Cloud suddenly feels like something bad is about to happen, “Um wait!”

The scientist frowns, “What?”

“Um well...why are there two syringes? I only need one, right? What’s the point of two?”

Hojo blinks and then smirks, “Oh, that’s not for you. It’s for someone else. He should be coming soon”

“Huh?”

Suddenly doors banged open and he sees the silver haired general breathing heavily like he ran a marathon. 

“Sephiroth! What are you doing here?!”

“Cloud, I-“

Then he starts hunching over, coughing into his left hand. Alarmed, Cloud runs over to him.

“Hey are you okay?!”

Then once the coughing ceases, he lowers his hand and a few flowers are there. This stuns Cloud, what in the name of Fenrir?!

“Ah, you have arrived. It seems it went all according to my calculations”

Cloud sharply turns to Hojo and glares, “What did you do to him?!”

He hears two people approach the kneeled couple. But he could care less who they are right now.

The mad scientist grins, “Oh just put a status effect I invented on him”

“Why?! For what purpose?!”

“To see if the two of you could come together in other ways”

“Other ways?”

Cloud is confused. What does he mean? Nothing he is saying makes sense! He hears Sephiroth speak to him, “Cloud, has he injected you yet?”

“No he hasn’t. You arrived right before he could”

“Good”

He coughs again and Cloud panics. Then he hears a familiar voice speak up, “Since you invented it, tell us how to get rid of it!”

He looks behind him and sees Zack and a girl wearing a pink dress. She must be Zack’s girlfriend. Why is she here?

Hojo chuckles and pushes his glasses up, “It’s quite simple really. It’s not too hard for them”

“And that is?”

“One needs to confess their true feelings to the person they care about, the other needs to reciprocate”

Cloud’s eyes widened in shock and Sephiroth seems to stiffen at that. Zack grins, “Is that all? That’s easy”

“Oh it’s not really. From what I have researched, humans can be stubborn to admit their feelings. But let me add something. If the other person does not return the feelings back to them, then the person suffocates and dies from the flowers”

Everyone looks at him in horror while he laughs at their faces. That’s terrible. Why would he do such a thing? Especially to Sephiroth, who is his own son?!

Sephiroth sneers, “You’re an asshole, you know that?!”

“Ah yes. I’ve heard many times. But let’s see what you will do”

Sephiroth glares daggers at him before he coughs more flowers out again. Cloud looks at him worried. “Sephiroth please. You have to tell the person you care about your true feelings”

“But-“

“Please! I know there’s a risk! But if you have gained feelings for them, you have a chance! Even if that person isn’t me...”, Cloud admits sadly. 

He just can’t imagine it being him. Because he’s not all that special. If anything, Sephiroth probably sees him as just a friend and that’s it. But when he sees the silver haired general looking at him amused, he was taken aback,

“You don’t think it’s you? Why would you think that?”

“I...well...”

“I think it’s clear who I have feelings for. And I’m willing to take that chance”

He looks at him determined, “Cloud, these past days with you, have been the most fun I have had for a while. I never been with someone like you. Who was kind and considerate towards me. And even willing to take care of me. Not to mention your fighting skills are brilliant and you manage to fight on par against me”

Cloud’s face was slowly turning red at these nice words towards him. Does Sephiroth really feel this way towards him? Is this really possible?

“So what I want to say is that, I really like you Cloud. More than anyone I have ever met”

Cloud took a deep breath in shook, “Really?”

Sephiroth smiles and nods. Cloud’s eyes start to tear up and he laughs happily. Sephiroth looks at him confused, “What? Did I say something funny?”

Cloud shook his head and his laughter dies down, “No, I’m just, so happy!”

“So?”

Cloud wipes his tears and smiles widely, “I, have felt so strongly for you for a while now. It was just a crush at first, but the more I’ve been with you, the more I grew to love you”

He grabs Sephiroth’s hands, “So yes, I do accept and return those feelings”

“Cloud...”

————-

Sephiroth couldn’t believe it, for the first time ever, someone has genuinely returned his feelings. Not only that, it’s Cloud who does. And he said that he loved him. Love, something that he didn’t think was possible for a man like him. But here it is, right in front of him. 

Suddenly his throat feels more clearer. Like all of the flowers are gone. He takes a few deep breaths and then he sighs in relief. It’s gone. Cloud looks at him expectedly and he nods to reassure him. He sighs in relief as well. And then he hears someone crying behind them and he turns to the black spiky haired man who is bawling his eyes out. While his girlfriend pats him on the back smiling, “That was, so beautiful! I’m so touched!”

He chuckles at the display and Cloud doesas well. But the moment was ruined when he hears slow clapping from the man he has despised all his life.

They all turn to him glaring and the man grins, “Yes, well done. The two of you never cease to amaze me. No matter how many obstacles I have put in your way”

He stops clapping then, “Now, it seems you two are ready for the next step”

He takes out a button from his pocket and presses it. Suddenly SOLDIER’s and Troopers alike pile in and surround himself and the others. Guns and swords pointed and drawn against them.

All of them stood up in alarm in defense. Sephiroth growls at Hojo, “What is the meaning of this?!”

“Now now, don’t get too hasty. Who knows what would happen hm?”

“What do you want?!”

“I need you and Strife to quietly come with me”

“And if we don’t?”

“Then you’re friends will pay the consequences”

He snaps his fingers and the guns are closer and the trigger goes unlocked on Zack and Aerith. Zack puts his body in front of Aerith defensively and Aerith’s body shakes in fear. Cloud gasps frighteningly, “No! Don’t!”

“If you come quietly, they will be unharmed. I give my word”

Sephiroth couldn’t believe this. He has them cornered, trapped. They have no choice but to comply at this moment. He looks the Cloud to confirm his decision. And he looks at him sadly and nods. Sephiroth turns back to Hojo, “Fine, we’ll come”

The man grins in delight, “Excellent, come along now”

The couple walk forward to him and he turns to his tray, “Good, now then, let’s do this correctly”

He grabs one syringe and looks to Cloud smirking, “Now then, let’s give you your, ‘Mako test’”

Cloud’s body shakes and eyes widen in fear. Sephiroth was about to step in when he feels a dart on the back of his neck. He immediately pulls it out and looks at it. Shit, a sleeping dart! 

“Sephiroth!”

“Stay still boy, you don’t want to end up like him do you?”

He can hear Cloud hesitate, and he looks at him. His body and mind start to feel heavy. Vision is getting blurry and he starts collapsing to the floor. He sees Hojo inject Cloud in the arm. The blonde’s eyes closed in fear. And he sees Hojo grab another one and comes up to him. He can’t defend himself. His body is so heavy. He’s being forced to unconsciousness. 

“Stop!”

Cloud yells out but then he sees a dart go into Cloud’s neck and he collapses. 

‘Cloud!’

He wants to reach out to him. To protect him, but he can’t. He’s so frustrated! He feels a prick on his arm.

“Now, let’s go, to the Reunion”

He loses consciousness then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you ready for the final day tomorrow?


	7. Day 7: Sunday-Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud and Sephiroth are taken to a familiar place. Zack, Aerith, Genesis, and Angeal are hurrying after them to save them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy 24th Anniversary to FF7!!! And Happy Sefikura Day!!! 
> 
> We made it fellas! I’m so glad I was able to do this! I never worked on something this big before. I’m a bit proud of myself lol
> 
> Anyways this chapter is hella long. Think of it as a 1-2 hour finale to a series lol
> 
> Thank you all for reading and reaching the end. I really appreciate it!
> 
> And now, for the finale.

Cloud groans as his mind starts to stir. Where is he? He feels someone petting his hair as he is laid down belly up. Who was it? He tries to open his eyes but the lights are too bright. He quickly closes them and tries again. Once his blurred vision stabilizes itself, he sees the one who was stroking his hair and smiles, “Sephiroth”

Said man looked down at him sighing in relief, “Cloud...are you alright?”

Once asked, he feels a prick on his arm and neck, his body still feels heavy but he seems fine. “Yeah, I’m okay”

“Good”

Cloud then looks around the area he was in. It looked like an old bedroom. But, these rooms seem familiar to him. Why?

“Where are we?”

Sephiroth took a moment before he could respond, “I heard from the few troopers and SOLDIER’s, that are outside guarding this room. This is Shinra manor”

Cloud’s eyes widened in shock, now he knows why this bedroom looks familiar to him. He remembers exploring this manor on a dare, then ran away from the monsters once he saw them. Luckily he got away safely. 

But if they are in the manor, then that means, “We’re, in Nibelheim, my hometown!”

Sephiroth nods and Cloud quickly sits up and looks around more. He sees a window and looks out, sure enough he was right. He sees the town in a far off distance. He’s home.

He looks down confused, “But why are we here?”

Sephiroth looks down and away in response. Cloud looks at him curiously. Does he know?

Finally Sephiroth responds, “This is where, everything began”

“Began? For what?”

“For Shinra, and it’s...”

The silver haired man looks at him with serious eyes, “My birthplace”

Cloud was shocked. Sephiroth was born in Nibelheim too?! What is going on here?!

Then the door opens to reveal the man who might have all the answers, “So, you’re both awake now?”

They didn’t answer him. They just glared at him in response.

“Good, then let’s get going to Mt. Nibel”

Sephiroth narrows his eyes suspiciously, “Why?”

Hojo grins madly at him, “Oh, it’s a surprise”

Cloud has a feeling that this “surprise”, is not something that he himself would like. 

“Come along boys. You don’t have much of a choice”

Hearing that, he’s sure it’s not just the guards that have them at gun and sword point. Zack and his girlfriend are probably still in trouble. He prays to Fenrir and Gaia that they are alright.

The couple stand up from the bed and follow Hojo out. Guards lining up all around them just in case they might try something. Both Cloud’s and Sephiroth’s weapons were taken away of course. But they can still fight with hand to hand combat. They both know not to try it, it would cause trouble for themselves.

As they climb Mt. Nibel, Cloud thinks about Tifa and his mother. It has been years since he has last seen them. He wonders if they are doing alright? Sure he has been exchanging letters with them, but that can only tell someone so little. He wonders how they look now? Totally different he knows. He would love to see them, but considering his current situation, he probably won’t get the chance. 

When they get to the bridge, he recalls the incident with Tifa when he was younger. Tifa’s mother died, and she was so distraught. To the point where she thought she would find her mother at the top ofMt. Nibel. Her ‘friends’ encouraged it, but Cloud was against it. He knew something bad would happen, so he chased after her. Then the bridge fell apart and they fell. 

When they landed, Cloud was in pain but only had a few bruises at worse. But Tifa...she was hurt pretty badly. She was in a coma for a while. But because he was less banged up, Tifa’s father and the village blamed him. He tried to tell them the truth, but they wouldn’t listen. Only his mom believed him. 

From back then he knew. He knew that he was weak. He wanted to get stronger, to prove himself to the villagers and to protect his mother and Tifa. He was lucky to tell Tifa this the night before he left to Midgar to join the Shinra army. In turn, she promised to take care of his mother. He was lucky to have her as a friend.

Then they stopped, and that snapped Cloud back into reality. He looks up to see where they’re at. His eyes widened, it’s Nibelheim’s Mako reactor.

———————

When they stopped in front of the reactor, Sephiroth felt a headache coming on. Actually, it started ever since they went up Mt. Nibel. But it’s keeps getting stronger and stronger. He has no idea why this is happening to him. But he has a feeling, that whatever this is about, is inside that reactor.

As he sees Hojo directs some troopers to stand guard outside the reactor, Cloud looks at him worried.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m, not sure”

“What do you mean?”

Sephiroth puts a hand on his forehead, “I’ve been, having this headache ever since we have been climbing up here. Now, it’s getting worse”

Cloud farrows his brows in worry and then leans up to his head and kisses his forehead. This startles Sephiroth a bit and he feels a bit warm.

The blonde simply says, “Did that make you feel better”

He smiles, “Yeah, a little bit. Thanks”

Cloud smiles brightly and takes his right hand, “I’ll always be here for you, okay?”

“Alright”

The moment is ruined by his asshole of a father, “Are you two done?! Get in here now!”

He rolls his eyes and Cloud huffs annoyed. They both walk into the reactor hand in hand.

As soon as they walk into the main area, the pain hits him like a truck. He feels pressure on his hand and he looks to Cloud who is in pain himself clutching his head. Can he feel it too? But how?

Hojo stops walking and turns to them, “It seems the both of you are starting to connect with her”

Her? Who’s ‘her’? 

Sephiroth must have voiced this out loud it seems because the man responded, “You should know. Look at the door up the stairs. That’s your answer”

Sephiroth looks up at the door mentioned and he sees a word above it. Jenova?

His eyes widened in shock. Isn’t that, his mother’s name?! But how and why is it up there?!

Cloud looks up too and he blinks and looks at Sephiroth worriedly. Sephiroth glares at Hojo through the pain, “What is the meaning of this?! Why is my mother’s name up there?!”

Cloud squeezes his hand in comfort and tells him to take a deep breath. He does just that. But still glares at the mad scientist waiting for an answer. And he gets one.

“Your mother, Jenova, wasn’t any normal being. She is an ancient, one of the first people on the Planet. She was excavated years ago, and that’s when we started the research into her”

Hojo points to him, “You, were made to see if you could handle her cells. And you have, thus making you a success! Since then, I have given you tests and experimented on you to see your potential. And now you will reunite with you mother, and find the Promised Land”

“Reunite? Is that what you meant by Reunion?”

“Yes. It is another experiment, to see if you will find your way to her. That’s why I tested it out on Strife there. I have injected him with your cells and Jenova’s. He responded well to yours. As you can see already”

He can hear Cloud intake a shocked breath next to him. Sephiroth is shocked as well. Was that the point to all this? For them to be together this whole time? Does that mean their feelings are fake?

Cloud shakes his head, “No, they aren’t”

Sephiroth looks at him startled. Did he speak out loud again?

Cloud looks at him sternly, “Although we might be drawn together by cells or whatever, it doesn’t change my feelings for you. That’s not something that you can make up by science”

He blinks stunned and then he smiles. Who knew that he would be this lucky to have such a man by his side. But the main question is, why did Hojo choose Cloud specifically?

“The cadet is right. I never anticipated the two of you to grow feelings for each other. I was just lucky to hear the two of you were dating. That’s why I pushed the President to keep the rumor going”

The couple looked at him stunned, “It was you?!”

Hojo grins, “Yes, it was me. But now that we got that out of the way. Would you like to see your mother, Sephiroth?”

He has to admit, he’s really nervous. For some reason, he just has this bad feeling. That when he sees his mother, things won’t be the same anymore. He can feel that Cloud’s nervous as well. He squeezes his hand to reassure him, “Together”

“Are you sure? It is your mother, I don’t want to intrude...”

“I‘ll feel less nervous if you come”

Cloud looks at him unsure, but he nods anyways, “Okay, I’ll come”

They walk up the stairs, pass the Mako tanks that are filled with monsters. Cloud shivers seeing them. And once they reach the top, Sephiroth takes a deep breath and opens the door. There he sees her, floating in a Mako tank, Jenova.

———————

Zack was lucky that he contacted Angeal and Genesis before going into the labs, because they managed to save them in time. All four pushed through the SOLDIER’s and troopers out of the way. They managed to escape to an area secluded and far away from the the labs.

Once they take a few breathers, Angeal went immediately to interrogating him.

“What in the name of Gaia is going on?!”

“After the mission, Sephiroth ran to the labs, because he thought Cloud was in trouble. So we ran after him, but it was a trap. They threatened our lives and Cloud and Sephiroth were taken by Hojo to who knows where! And now, I don’t know what to do”

Zack looks down in distraught. How could he let them get taken?! But what could he have done? There were too many people against them and he had to worry about Aerith too. Not that she can’t handle herself. She is amazing with materia. But there is a limit to what they could do.

Angeal sees his sad figure and puts a hand on his shoulder, “Don’t blame yourself. No one could have predicted this. But let’s not worry about the past, let’s work on the present”

Zack looks up at Angeal and smiles. He knew that he could count on his mentor. He was like a father or big brother to him. He’s glad to have met him. Genesis crosses his arms and looks to Zack seriously.

“Do you have any clue to where Hojo might have taken them?”

Zack shook his head, “Not a single clue. All he mentioned was Reunion and taking them to see something called a Jenova?”

Both Genesis and Angeal’s eyes widen at this. Zack doesn’t understand what that means but they do. And Aerith does to because she gasped back then when it was mentioned.

“Uh, do you guys know what it is?”

Genesis sighs and nods, “Yes, apparently she is Sephiroth’s mother”

Zack was confused by this, “But didn’t she die from childbirth?”

“That’s what we all assumed. But it seems that might not be the case”

“If that’s the case then where would she be”

Before Genesis or Angeal could answer for him, his girlfriend does surprisingly, “She’s in Nibelheim”

The men turn to her in surprise that she knew. She frowns, “We have to get there quick or else...”

She stops speaking then. Zack looks at her worried, “Or else what?”

“We’ll lose both Sephiroth and Cloud”

———————

The longer Sephiroth stared at her, the more shocked he felt. His mother, was not human. He knew it, he knew he was different than any human being. Because he wasn’t. He’s, a monster.

He feels a squeeze at his hand at that and looks down to Cloud who’s frowning.

“Don’t say that about yourself. You’re not a monster. You’re human. Have always been. So what that you’re born different, it doesn’t make you any less of a human being”

“But I-“

“Nope! You’re Sephiroth, a human being who went through shit that no one should’ve gone through. We all have our differences through life. Hell, I had a shitty childhood, no one in the village liked or cared for me beside my mother and Tifa. I sometimes think something is wrong with me. Why no one would give a second thought for me here. But then I joined the Shinra army and meet Zack, Kunsel, and...you”

The blonde takes both of his hands to hold and looks up at him smiling, “Meeting and dating you was the best decision I have made in my life. I’m glad that I got to know you better through talks, fighting, and even in silence. I love you, even if you were some other being or what not. I care for who you are, not what you are”

Sephiroth couldn’t believe his ears. Listening to him, made every horrible feeling about himself go away. Cloud’s right, what matters is who he is, not what.

He smiles down at the blonde cadet, “Thank you, Cloud”

Cloud’s smile brightens at that. The warm feeling between them is nice. He doesn’t want that to go away. But then, an unknown voice speaks up,

“My, what a loyal person you have by your side, son”

Both of them jump at the sudden female voice. They look up at the tank where his mother resides. Wait, did she just, speak to them?

“Yes, it is me son”

“Mother?”

She hums in acknowledgment. Her voice sounds soothing. Like he imagined a mother would sound like.

“How are you speaking to us?”

“Through your minds. Because of my cells going through your bodies”

This shocks him. Not only does he hear her but Cloud does too? Cloud nods, “Yeah now that explains why I could sometimes hear your thoughts Sephiroth”

So he hasn’t been speaking out loud, Cloud was just reading his thoughts and feelings through their connection. His mother’s voice comes through again,

“I’m so glad that I’m finally able to meet you. And you have partner as well. This will certainly speed up things”

Sephiroth was confused, “What do you mean?”

“What this man says is false. I’m not an ancient born of this Planet, I’m from another world.I was here to do the usual. But somehow, I was captured by the ancients and sealed underground for many years. Then I was dug up and found by these scientists and brought into their labs. They took samples and cells from my body and experimented on me. It was torture”

Sephiroth can feel the bitterness from her and he started to feel bad. She wasn’t that different from himself, he also went through all that. 

“But, I guess it wasn’t all in vain. I gained a son, and from what I can tell, you are amazing. And I’m glad to call you my son”

He can feel that she is smiling. He feels delighted by this. Even though he has only just met his mother minutes ago, he feels like she has been by his side for a long time. She speaks again,

“And your partner, I can tell he is an excellent young man who has supported you for a while. Thank you for taking care of him”

Cloud seems flustered at this and answers, “Um, you’re welcome ma’am”

She laughs, “Please, call me mother as well. You might as well be, what humans call, son in law”

“A-alright”

“Now then, since you are here, let’s get started”

Sephiroth looks at her confused, “Started on what?”

As if grinning she answers, “The Calamity”

———————

As they fly to Nibelheim in a helicopter, with Angeal and Genesis piloting, Aerith explains everything.

About the fact she’s an ancient known as a Cetra, so she’s able to communicate with the Planet. The fact her real mother and herself were kidnapped and taken to Hojo’s lab and experimented on. Then they escaped, but her mother died as a result of experimentation. She was then taken in by Elmyra. The Turks watch over her simply because she is a Cetra and just in case Hojo needs her. 

She then explains who exactly Jenova is. The Calamity from the Skies. She came to the Planet to suck it dry and destroy it. But the Cetra stopped her and sealed her away underground for many years. She was then excavated and mistaken to be an ancient by her ability to camouflage herself to be one. And now, if she has Sephiroth and Cloud in her grasp, she will control them and continue her process to her calamity. 

As Zack listens, it seems too crazy to be true but, he believes Aerith. She wouldn’t lie to him, especially with a situation this dire. Once they land a bit away from the village, they jump off and hurry to the small town. Nothing seems to be out of the ordinary, yet. 

Genesis huffs, “Okay, now what?”

Aerith hums and then points to the old manor over in the distance, “Let’s go there. There is someone there that might help us”

Before anyone could say anything, she starts walking in that direction. The men sigh and just follow her. No point in arguing against her. Once her mind is made up, she goes through with it.

They go through the town, to the mansion uphill. Once inside, Aerith led them to a secret underground passageway. The stairs were old and not well kept. Well, so was the manor. And Genesis wasn’t afraid to speak so out loud.

“Ugh, this place is dirty, old, and smells bad! Who would ever want to live here?!”

Aerith finally stops in front of a wooden door, and turns to them, “This is it”

Zack then asks, “So, who is this person specifically?”

“I don’t know much, but the Planet said that he went through a lot. To the point one of the WEAPONS of the Planet was put inside him”

The SOLDIER’s all looked alarmed at this. Genesis speaks then, “Wait  the WEAPONS?! Aren’t they supposed to be the protectors of the Planet? They actually exist?!”

Aerith nods, “Yes, they do”

“How in the name of Gaia did a WEAPON end up inside this man?!”

Aerith looks down sadly, “It’s, complicated.I can’t explain it clearly right now”

She looks up at them with a determined face, “But for now, we need to wake him up”

She opens the wooden door and walks into the cramped room filled with coffins. This place is really eerie. Aerith knocks on the coffin right in the middle.

“Mr. Valentine, can you please wake up? We need your help”

It was silent for a bit before the door finally slides open. The man was something he never saw before. His outfit is mostly of rags, wears a golden clawed hand armor and shoes. His black hair was long but wild and he stared at them with red eyes. 

“What do you all want?”

Aerith clears her throat and starts explaining, “We came here to save two people and many more”

“Save them from what exactly?”

“From the calamity, Jenova”

The name strikes a cord to the man known as Valentine. Does he know her too?

“And why is my help necessary?”

“One of these people is the son of someone you once loved. I’m sure you know who I’m referring to?”

He looks down sadly, “Yes, I do. Why should I save him? He will cause trouble no doubt. Lucrecia knew, that’s why she’s gone”

“She’s still alive though”

Valentine’s eyes widen in shock, “She...is?”

Aerith nods, “Yes she is. She locked herself away somewhere. If you want to find her, I suggest working with us”

Valentine lets out a frustrated breath, “You really need my help?”

“Please, we don’t have much time. We need the most help we can get. Who knows what Hojo is doing to them”

This startles Valentine and he starts to get angry. He growls, “Hojo...”

The SOLDIER’s stiffen at the voice. Zack was the first to ask, “You know him?”

“How could I forget the man who experimented on me and ruined my life”

So it was Hojo who did this to him. That’s awful, he can’t imagine what that despicable man did to Sephiroth and Cloud. What is he doing to them now?

“Fine, I’ll help. But only this once. Don’t expect me to help again”

Aerith smiles proudly, “Good! Now then, let’s hurry”

Zack was impressed. Aerith was able to reel the man in to helping them. 

When they exit the manor, it was dusk and they saw fire and heard screams. 

———————

Calamity? 

Sephiroth didn’t understand what his mother meant by that. 

“It’s very simple, we take the Planet’s energy and move elsewhere”

Cloud’s eyes widen, “Wait, you want to kill the Planet?!”

Sephiroth’s eyes widen as well. That’s what his mother was aiming for? 

“Why?”

“That’s my nature. I have done this for many years now. This world was going to be next, but the Cetra caught on. Thus I was sealed away. But now that you’re here, you can help me finish the job”

Sephiroth was unsure about this. Killing the Planet would mean that he would lose his friends and the memories he made here.

And Cloud would lose his family and friends too. They can’t do this. No way they can.

“Mother, I really do care for you. But I just can’t do this. I’ve made so many memoriesand a few friends on this Planet. I can’t just let go of them”

“But you’re life was ruined by these humans. Those memories you speak of? Most of them are terrible I presume. So why keep those?”

“Because then I remember the good memories I gained alongside them”

Sephiroth sighs, “I’m sorry Mother, I can’t help you”

“I see. Well then, it seems I have to take drastic measures”

Suddenly, pain hits his head. He clutches his head. 

“Sephiroth!” Cloud yells out in worry. 

But he barely hears him over this pain, What is...?

“Since you are disobeying your mother. I shall put you into your place”

He can hear Cloud beg Jenova to stop. But her mind is invading his own quickly. He feels like he’s slipping. No, he has to stay strong, for Cloud. He can’t lose him...

“Don’t worry son. I’m not a merciless mother, your partner shall come join us too”

He then hears Cloud collapse to his knees in pain.

After a while, the pain disappears. Jenova seems to be grinning, “Now, let’s start the Calamity”

Both men stand up from their positions, eyes empty with silt pupils. At the same time they said, “Yes Mother”

———————

Zack immediately jumps into action, “We need to get the towns people somewhere safe!”

They all nod and hurry into the burning town. Genesis tried the stop the fire with water materia, Angeal and Zack try to save as much people as they can, and Aerith heals any who are injured. Vincent Valentine, who finally introduced himself when exiting the old manor, helped only when he could. Once the villagers were safe and fire died down, Vincent noticed a couple of eyes staring at them from a distance. He points them out. The group turns around and they stiffen and gasp in shock.

Sephiroth and Cloud, standing among the flames and staring at them with blank eyes. They have their weapons back, but they haven’t been raised. 

‘Did they, really do this?’ Zack questions internally.

They turn away from them and disappeared in the flames. Then they heard an older woman’s voice, “How could he? My own son...”

They turn to see an older woman with blonde hair and holding her up was a woman with long black hair.

The long haired woman shook her head, “I won’t believe that Cloud would do this. There is no way...”

Zack now realizes who these two are, “Are you, Cloud’s mom and Tifa?”

They look at him shocked. Tifa speaks first, “Yes, how did you know that?”

“I’m Cloud’s friend, Zack Fair. I believe you, there is no way Cloud is doing this in his own free will”

Aerith nods, “You’re right. They are being controlled, by Jenova”

Angeal seemed that he couldn’t keep up with all this. He clutched his head and groaned, “You mean to tell me, this thing is mind controlling Sephiroth and Cloud? How?”

“They have her cells inside their bodies. That’s how she can take control of them easily”

“To start the Calamity, right?” Zack asks.

Aerith nods, “Yes. That’s why we need to stop Jenova and Hojo”

Genesis then speaks up, “Then let’s go. We don’t have much time right?”

The group nods and start to leave the two woman behind but, “Wait!”

They turn to Tifa who spoke, “Let me help you. Cloud is my best friend. If this, Jenova thing is controlling my friend, then I will gladly kick its ass”

They all look at her unsure. Angeal speaks then, “Can you fight?”

Tifa nods, “Yes, I’ve been trained in hand to hand combat for many years. I can take any fight”

Aerith smiles, “Then come with us. We could use all the help we can get”

She nods and turns to Cloud’s mother, “Will you be alright”

She nods, “Yes, I’ll be fine. Please, save my son”

Tifa nods determinedly and leads her to another village person to take care of her. The young woman turns to them. “So, what are we waiting for?”

———————

The group of six make their trek up to the reactor on Mt. Nibel. Once inside, they see both Sephiroth and Cloud standing on top of the stairs above them. Their attention turned away from them.

Tifa shouts, “Cloud!”

Said young man turns at stares at her with blank eyes and slit pupils, it’s really creepy. 

“Cloud! It’s me, Tifa! Please say something!”

Sephiroth turns then and smirks, “He can’t, he’s under my control now”

They all jump. Zack spoke up, “Sephiroth?” 

Aerith shakes her head, “No, this is Jenova. She’s speaking through Sephiroth”

“That is correct. So, you must be a Cetra. I have to admit, I didn’t think any one of them survived to this day. But it seems this will be your last”

‘Sephiroth’ draws his sword and aims it at Aerith. The group stands defensively. Then a sneezy voice speaks up, “Now now, let’s not get too hasty”

They see Hojo come from behind the duo and turns to the group, “Well now, what an interesting group. Two of Hollanders failures, an Ancient, another failure, a fist fighting woman, and an experiment”

They all glare at him. Vincent growls, “Hojo...”

‘Sephiroth’ glares at the mad scientist, “You don’t tell me what to do. You’re lucky you’re still useful. Or else you would be dead by now”

Aerith speaks up then, “Jenova, your time on the Planet is over. Your fate shall be death”

‘Sephiroth’ turns to her, “Oh? Is that so? Well, I won’t go down without a fight”

‘Sephiroth’ flies down and tries to attack Aerith but Zack runs to block it. ‘He’ growls and suddenly Cloud goes to attack Aerith as well. Tifa was the one to block this time. “Cloud...”

He doesn’t respond, just stares at her. The duo backs off and stand together facing them.

Aerith turns to the group, “We have to split up. One to fight these two and another to fight Hojo who is up there with Jenova”

Angeal nods, “Alright, then Genesis and I will stay here and fight Sephiroth and Cloud”

Tifa volunteers as well, “I will also. If there’s anyway to get to Cloud, I’ll find it”

Zack nods, “Alright, I guess that leaves Aerith, Vincent, and I to take care of Hojo” 

Now decided, Genesis, Angeal, and Tifa attack Sephiroth and Cloud so that Zack and his team can go through.

Once pass, they make it to the top and see Hojo in front of a tank with a floating thing. Is that Jenova?

“So, you are here to kill me, is that right?”

Vincent raises his gun at him, “Exactly. I’ll be glad to have the honor of taking your life”

Hojo laughs, “Really now? But just to let you all know...”

He takes out a syringe from his lab coat pocket and injects himself on the arm with something. He starts to transform in front of them to a towering disgusting creature with sharp teeth. He roars, “I won’t go down easily” 

———————

Tifa has to admit, she’s really nervous. She never fought Cloud before. Not even the War Hero. She’s lucky that she has the two Commanders with her. No words have been exchanged so far during this fight. Just bursts of magic and attacks between them. 

She mostly has been attacking Cloud, hoping that her friends consciousness is still in there. But no matter how many punches, kicks, and magic, it’s not enough. So she tries words instead, “Cloud! Please listen to me!”

“You have to stop this! Fight against her control!”

“Cloud please! I know you’re in there!”

Genesis huffs at her efforts, “You think that’ll work? This bitch has massive control on their minds”

Tifa yells at him, “I might as well try!”

The red haired commander hums and turns to Sephiroth, “Hey Sephiroth! If you don’t come out, I’m going to take your boyfriend away from you!”

Angeal’s eyes widen at him, “What are you doing?!”

“Taking the girl’s suggestion”

Suddenly the silver haired general swiped at them with his sword. He growls, “Don’t you dare”

Genesis grins, “Oh it’s working!”

“I don’t think we should taunt him out”

“But it’s working isn’t it?”

Tifa thinks about what just happened. Taunting, huh?

She turns back to Cloud, “Cloud, what is as the point of going to Shinra to join the army? Are you really that strong enough?”

This seems to snap something into the spiky haired blonde and he attacks her with anger in his eyes. An emotion! It’s working!

So back and forth, Tifa and Genesis make their taunts to their respective friend.

“Are you really going to let someone control you?”

“Can you really make SOLDIER?”

“Your skills have really gone down. Have you grown soft?”

“What was the point of joining Shinra army?”

As the the taunts continue, the more emotion the duo shows. Angeal is shocked, “It’s working!”

Genesis smirks, “Maybe I should recite all of Loveless”

Sephiroth glares at him, “If you do, I will slice you in half”

“Ah! There you are!”

Sephiroth then groans and clutches his head, “I, what am I, doing?”

Cloud stops as well and clutches his head, “Ti-fa, mom, Seph-iroth”

The trio stands there in a defensive position. Tifa wants to run up to Cloud and hug him, but she knows that could be dangerous.

“Sephiroth, you have to fight her control. Your going to hurt many more people if you don’t stop!” Angeal shouts at him.

Sephiroth hisses as if in pain, “I-it hurts. I can’t stop her”

He looks up to them, “Please, stop me. Help, Cloud. Please-“

Then a scream erupts from his mouth. Cloud joins along with it as well. The trio stand there stunned. What is happening?

Then they collapse on the ground. After they stopped moving for a few moments they run up to them. Genesis and Angeal on Sephiroth and herself on Cloud.

She knew then, that Jenova’s control on them is gone.

———————

Aerith had gone through many things in her lifetime. She’s so tired from all of it. Shinra, Jenova, Hojo, and even the Planet communicating with her. She just wants a normal peaceful life with her boyfriend Zack. But she knows the only way for that is to destroy Jenova and Hojo. Then stop Shinra from using the Mako reactors that are killing the Planet, and only then will the Planet shut up most of the time.

This is the first step, and so help her Gaia she will see this through. 

They attacked the monster Hojo as best as they can. Zack with his sword skills, Aerith using magic and support spells, and Vincent shooting with his gun. But it’s too strong. What is fueling it?

She turns to the tank where Jenova floats. Maybe...

“Vincent, aim at the tank!”

He nods and aims the gun at it. He fires and it breaks. Glass flies down and Mako splashes out. Now there is only one thing left to do.

“Zack cover me! Vincent distract Hojo!”

The two do just that as she charges up a Level 3 Fire. Once charged she releases it on Jenova. She can feel her scream in pain. It’s working! Just one more charge and-

Then Zack throws her aside from an attack from Hojo. Shit! Zack looks at her worried, “Are you okay?”

She stands up, “I’m fine. I need to do one more charge. Keep distracting him!”

He nods and helps Vincent. She bows her head and holds a hand to her chest. She can do this. She can stop all this before so much tragedy can happen. She just has a feeling if not stopped now, she would lose Zack. She can’t have that. Not now, not ever! 

She feels the huge burst of magic and releases it from her staff and into Jenova. She screams even louder with the fire eating at her skin. And soon enough she turns to ash. Nothing left of her.

Now that Hojo is weakened they defeat him too and he turns back to normal.

He collapsed to the ground breathing heavily. Vincent points a gun at him, ready to take the shot, but Zack stops him, “Wait!”

Vincent growls angrily, “Why are you stopping me?!”

“I have a few questions before you kill him off”

“Like what?”

“Like why he called me failure and knew who Tifa was. Why did he chose Cloud specifically to be tested for this Reunion?”

Aerith has to admit, Zack does have a point. Some things Hojo has said and done have made no sense. 

Hojo chuckles, “You really want to know?”

They turn their attention to him and glare at him. He scoffs, “Fine, I’ll tell you. Since I know I have failed anyways”

They wait a few moments before he speaks again, “I come from another timeline. One where different events played out from here”

Another timeline? Is he serious? That’s-

“Ridiculous! There’s no way that can be possible!” Zack says her thoughts exactly.

The mad scientist chuckles, “Oh it is. The lifestream is very unique. Who knows what happens when you enter it”

Aerith can’t believe what she is hearing right now. The lifestream can take you to other timelines? This can’t be possible. The man continues speaking, 

“I have experimented on both Fair and Strife. Apparently they killed off Sephiroth in my timeline. I decided to use them to make them clones. But I deemed them failures. So I left them to rot”

He grins, “But I seemed to have made a miscalculation. Strife was actually a success. He unknowingly followed Sephiroth’s call to him to the Reunion. And started Metorfall that almost destroyed the Planet. So when I died and came here, imagine my shock that I’m still working for Shinra and none of these events have come to pass

“So when my son made the blunder to date a woman for a week and called it off. I used it to my advantage to spread the rumor. Especially since I am the head of the Silver Elite”

Zack looked shocked and disgusted to hear that. “So this whole time, it was you?! For what reason?!”

“Shinra wanted his popularity to spread. This was how in their book. And since I let that rumor spread and already administered a few injections into Strife. I knew it was a matter of time before they would be drawn to each other”

Aerith, who was silent the whole time, finally spoke up, “So you wanted to try again another way. You wanted to speed up the process”

“Yes, but unfortunately, it seems that it didn’t work. Thanks to you lot, it’s all ruined!”

“So when the Planet warned me about you, this was why. You knew too much”

“Hmph I would have gotten away with it too. But it seems fate isn’t in my favor. But shall I tell you your fate in my timeline my dear?”

Aerith stepped back confused, “Huh?”

“You were-“

BANG!

The sound of Vincent’s gun went off and bullet right into the Hojo’s head. His body collapsed to the ground. Zack turns to Vincent shocked, “What the hell man?!”

“He was talking too much. I grew impatient” Vincent simply responded.

Aerith had no idea what Hojo was about to say, but she can’t worry about it now. He’s dead. And so, two threats of three are gone.

They exit out of the room and see both Cloud and Sephiroth collapsed on the ground with Tifa, Genesis, and Angeal surrounding them. They look up at them and Tifa asks, “Is it over?”

Aerith nods and smiles, “Yes, it’s over”

———————

Day 8: Monday-How about One More Date?

When Cloud woke up, he felt like he had a nightmare. He was being controlled by Jenova and burning his hometown along with Sephiroth. He also fought his childhood friend, while his own consciousness sat there, screaming and couldn’t do anything but watch.

It’s terrifying that it was true. It all actually happened, and he felt terrible. He opens his eyes and sees that he is at the old bedroom in Shinra manor. He felt a warmth beside him as if someone was laying there. He turns and sees Sephiroth and his eyes turn away guiltily.

Cloud frowns, “If you’re going to say it’s your fault, don’t. Our actions weren’t our own”

Sephiroth sighs, “It’s just...the one time I actually thought I have a mother, she turns out to be crazy and wants to destroy the Planet. Now I wonder if I’ll ever get any motherly love”

Cloud looks at him in pity, “I can’t tell you I know how it feels but, if anything, I can introduce you to my mom. She would love you, I’m sure of it”

Sephiroth looks at him unsure, “Really? Would she really like me?”

Cloud smiles, “Of course she will! Just have faith alright?”

Sephiroth smiles, “Okay”

Cloud sits up on the bed and looks out the window, it’s already another day. Then that means...

“The date, it’s over”

Sephiroth sits up and looks at him confused, “Huh?”

Cloud laughs, “Remember? I’m supposed to date you for a week. And I’m sure it’s pass the time I have asked you out a week ago”

“Oh...”

Sephiroth looks down sadly at that. But Cloud grabs his hand, as if telling the silver haired man to look at him. And he does, and what he sees surprises him, Cloud is smiling.

“So, can I go on a date with you, again?”

Sephiroth smiles and nods, “Of course”

They didn’t know who made the first move, but they leaned closer to each other and sealed their lips together in a kiss. 

Knowing that for many years to come, they will date for many weeks until they get married. And Cloud will still jokingly ask for one more week of dating.

_ The End _


End file.
